Dark Tries
by Ageless Light
Summary: It was fated, Ashe and Zacarias were meant to be together. They could have met randomly at almost any time since her birth. These are just five different but alternative ways they could have met and started their life together. *Writer's Challenge*.
1. OneShot: Poisonous Thoughts

**Title: **Dark Tries

**Author: **Ageless Light

**Beta-ed by: **Unofficially by the second half of Agesless Light. But if someone would like to be my beta please PM me!

**Main Characters/Pairing: **Zacarias De La Cruz and Ashelia Sole (OC), Amelyn Stormcloud and Dominic Dragonseeker, and Iris Airan and Lojos Jaegar.

**Genre:** Romance/Fantasy/Paranormal

**Summary:** It was fated. Ashelia and Zacarias were meant to be together. They could have meant randomly, at almost any time since her birth or in any situation. These are just five different but alternative ways they could have met and started their life together.

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for teens and older)

**Category: **Writers Challenge, a collection of five separate one-shots.

**Specifics of the Writers Challenge:** Named _The Five Ways Challenge. _A challenge posed to an author where they are to publish 5 individual one-shots each depicting an alternative way characters can meet. It can be from any fandom and does not have to be relationship centered. Altering of time-lines is encouraged. This challenge is from a Live Journal community focused on SGA (where the second writer from Ageless light was originally challenged) before it was brought to me!

**Author Notes: **This fic is based upon Feehan's world combined with the Kylierion Empire of my own making. I would suggest reading **Dark Moments,** first in order to get a better understanding of the characters. Since this challenge just shows alternate ways they could meet, not everything is explained.

**Spoilers: **A/U. For this one-shot: Current up to _Dark Curse. _

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Dark Series Universe or any of Christine Feehan's characters. I do own the OC's though. I went to babynamesDOTcom for my character names. The **original** concept of the Ways came from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. I however, have altered their purpose, make-up, and description to fit my fic. They are very different since I haven't even read the story, but if you like epic fantasy books; I encourage you to check them out.

**Status:** Continuous (Incomplete)

**Created on: **1/12/2011

**Word Count: **8,407

"Talk" – regular talking

_Talk-_ Inner thoughts/ Flashbacks

"_Talk"_- Speaking telepathically

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**A/N:** Please read the notices above, or this will not make sense.

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Poisonous Thoughts

Part I

Small thin drops resembling needles, both in shape and in touch, streamed in sheets from the sky. The air was more than humid and the cool drops of water added a relief to the world below the heavens. The Montverde Cloud Forest stood quiet and majestic over one thousand miles above sea level. So when the rain fell in contact with the forest, it did so in a symphony of nature. Inhabitants of the forest could hear the raindrops as they traveled down to earth and in an explosion of noise that blanketed everything. The water sometimes touched the tall trees, or found that one opening to descend to the ground. Nourishing everything it came in contact with.

At times it was soothing and at other times it was irritating to the elementals, because depending on where they were in the base they couldn't even hear themselves think with all the noise.

Those with strong connections to the earth and water walked around in a peaceful calm, feeling invigorated with each passing moment. Many took a moment or two to stop and simply lay out in the open, allowing themselves to be encompassed by the elements. It often rained in the cloud forest but today only the flora and fauna retreated patiently waiting while the land was cleansed and its energy replenished. The rest of the inhabitants went about their business since there was no allowance for delays.

Deep within one of the protected ecological zones of the Montverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Kylierion Empire privately owned land. As they had for centuries, and it was here where the largest war command and crisis center sprawled across the land. This center had been operational for several hundred years and was the most manned base in the western hemisphere outside of their homeland. Each department was self sufficient and was in range of several of the Way entrances. A perfect placement for offensive and defensive purposes.

Each building was tailored not only to the environment but to whatever department would inhabit it. Today in one of the classrooms at the medical ward, the occupants of the room had to practically shout to be heard. Not only were the balcony doors open but the room was located directly at canopy level. And the rain was merciless when it came in contact with the forest, uniting the earth and the sky. Fighting the urge to rub her temples, Ashelia Sole drudged on; just wishing the session was over.

"Now that she is stable you move on. With the next team member what is your biggest concern? What do you address first? And what is your reasoning for prioritizing his injuries in the order you did?" In a steady voice, Ashe called out over the murmur and gave the students the last part of their theoretical exam.

"Abdominal trauma. We already know that there was no penetration and we are probably dealing with a severe case of blunt force trauma." The youngest Orion, age 35, called out.

When the white blonde haired princess nodded in agreement the students began to address the question. The small groups conferred for a moment and then Vega took the lead.

"Abdominal injuries can be life threatening. It is a sensitive spot and a lot of damage can be done. If there is an injury in a retroperioneal space, it can bleed profusely. Those usually are the easiest to fix. But if there is an injury there, then there can also be a solid or hollow organ injury." Holding up a hand Ashe signaled to the girl that, that was enough. Picking another student out at random she motioned for him to continue.

"Vega is right. Let's pick the solid organs. First the liver and the kidney's; they can bleed a lot and send the victim into shock. The stomach is a solid organ and can be a source for causing infection. Then you have-" before he could finish a figure loped into the open doorway and interrupted. A medium sized leopard cat followed closely at his heels.

The cat was a yellow tan with dark rosettes on her coat and she sat gingerly on her hind legs. Turning her broad head towards the students she tracked them with golden eyes. None were shocked by the presence of a shifter. Many preternatural beings sought sanctuary within the Empire.

"Sorry to interrupt. But your teacher is a very important lady and I need a moment of her time." Jaeden shook his sienna colored hair while offering a shrug to the healers that were in the room. A lopsided grin was on his face but his eyes were clearly filled with worry.

Turning to one of his best friends, his teammate, and princess, all evidence of a relaxed posture disappeared. It was as if a switch was turned. All of the students had been a part of KATT for several years and they could easily relate to the pair in front of them at that moment

The number of field medics was down across the globe in every division and those with promise and basic healing skills were being personally taught by a Pure Healer to help increase everyone's survival rates. So for the class to be interrupted was cause for concern but mostly interest. All students leaned forward hoping to learn firsthand what was going on. The only thing that moved quicker than a killing blow by a KATT member in their society was gossip and information. Since their race was psychic they often had to invent unique ways to pass along treasured secrets without being detected. The students' musings were cut short as the honored Stone finally spoke.

"We are being deployed." His tone was even but gave no information due to witnesses.

"When?"

"Five minutes ago." Eyes the color of liquid amethyst widened then narrowed in surprise. _It was odd, because an order could have been given psychically but it wasn't. There must have be a reason for such open secrecy. _Turning back to the class she addressed them.

"Alright I have to go into the field and I do not know how long this will take. Your assignment,-" groans were heard over the pounding rain, but she merely ignored them and continued. "Your assignment is to write up a paper on abdominal trauma. I want specifics, people. You will go into detail about every organ and what you would have to address if someone got brought in on your shift with such severe injuries. I also want you describe the signs of such a trauma if you were in the field and trying to figure out who to heal first.

Since we didn't cover penetration or priority healings, I want you all to write a worst case study scenario. What if your victim had severe abdominal trauma from the penetration kind? Say from several stab wounds? Which organ would you choose to heal first and why? Medicines, recovery, transportation, and assistance all need to be addressed.

As for the rest of today; Vega and Orion will be going down to the training yard. You need to work on your speed. A field medic is always a target and you are a liability without proper evasion skills. Stormcloud and Zephyer, I want you to find Sterrling and accompany her on rounds. If she feels you can handle any cases on level 5 then I want you to do it and I want a medical report on each patient. As for the rest of you work on that assignment. You are dismissed." There was only a second of silence before both parties spoke the formal parting words to one another.

"May the Elements guide you."

"Our souls will forever serve."

A mixture of jealousy and concern filled those in the room as they watched the trio leave. For squad 15 to be deployed it meant something big was going on.

Ashe and Jaeden headed towards the debriefing room with the jaguar Gabrielle gliding alongside. The trio was quiet even their private psychic links were silent as they contemplated the reason for them to be activated. Gabrielle's presence was the leading clue for the other two. It was obvious; something was brewing in South America. And as citizens of the Kylierion Empire it was their job to get involved and police the supernatural world.

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_(Scene Change)_

_(Time: 2013, Brazil- 85 miles northeast of__ Pôrto Velho.)_

"_It's raining here too."_ Even through the team's common mental pathway it was easy to tell Iris was pouting. Though she was capable of responding, Ashe did not. Instead she was too focused on streaking across the Brazilian sky in tiny air particles, with passengers. Thankfully the rain was light here and didn't create an extra obstacle for them to travel through. With the battle coming up they could not waste any additional needed energy. Tia was too busy reviewing the information they had been given and hypothesizing how successful the chosen strategies were.

Many from the command center were surprised that the future head of the Airan House was put on active status. Last they had heard she was seriously injured and had been in a coma. The mission couldn't be completed smoothly without her though, so no one mentioned anything and put their trust in their superiors.

Days ago, a pair of female jaguars had stumbled upon an amazing turn of events and the Empire prayed they weren't too late to respond. Gabrielle and Marianna were given sanctuary, over five years ago, and eventually adopted by the Empire. Through past trauma and similar histories the women bonded and when Marianna passed all the necessary trainings, the women requested to be informants from the Amazon rainforest.

Since returning to the rainforest the pair of shifters had become painfully aware of what happened to their people and homeland. Their species was endangered and it came not from outside threats but from within. Over the past year the women made several successful missions to rescue captured female jaguars and to hunt those allied with Broderick.

When Marianna overheard of Solange Sangria's capture she sent Gabrielle through the Ways and followed the traitors. Soon she learned they were going to need more than a regular Kylierion squad to rescue the girl. It was obvious what had happened. Sangria was dangerous and often rescued other captured women and this time one of those rescue missions failed. Though neither of them had ever met the royal shifter, both Gabrielle and Marianna felt compelled to save another fighter like themselves. No one deserved to be treated like they had been, so long ago.

Days passed and copious amounts of information were discovered about the jaguar people, Broderick, and Solange's capture. The facility holding the royal shifter told the Kylierions much about the dealings in the Amazon. Mage, vampire, men, and jaguar had joined forces to accomplish the same goal. What that ultimate goal was no one was sure, but the Empire was determined to undermine such beings as best as they could.

There had been rumors about the increase of vampire activities in the area but the alliance of such beings caused the Empire concern and a full platoon had been dispatched from the war center in Costa Rica.

Carefully, almost fifty men and women were brought to South America. Their goal was multi-purposed. While sometimes an enemy's residence would be left undisturbed with only an information gathering squad staked outside this was not the case. What their enemies were doing were signs of war. And the Empire would respond in kind. It was their job.

The rescue of the two jaguar women were only one goal in this mission. The compound had to be destroyed and so did their enemies. But first they needed to gather information about the compound's purpose. Intelligence reported that it was a medical research facility. All senior staff members panicked, believing that discovery of the supernatural world was at hand. Or worse, some form of biological warfare that the vampires planned on using.

In this particular mission, the members of the Kylierion Advanced Tactical Team, or KATT squad, 15 were reassigned to other squads due to their particular areas of expertise. It took time but everyone managed to surround the compound. Undetected they waited, regaining strength and making sure their plans would work. Psychic sweeps were done lightly. The building of the layout was confirmed, as were the location of the research rooms and the holding cells.

Some of the more advanced Kylierions had sifted to their other forms and were holding two or even three others undetected. Dust particles clung to the trees and ground while the air sizzled with power.

The vampires were on edge as if they sensed the Kylierions but it could just as well have been the presence of the humans. The undead monsters had voracious appetites and the humans walking among them must have been testing their control. Tia and Captain Ray counted only two master vampires and it seemed that they had control over the recently turned. Vampires were arrogant, solitary creatures. Until now, there had never been reports of entire groups of vampires working together. No one knew what to make of it.

They hoped that the vampires would turn on each other but now they weren't sure what would happen when they attacked. The one mage would be taken care of first and a squad would remain in the tree line to take out the jaguars that would sure to run. Surprise was their best element and they would attack together and create chaos. They all had their marks. Captain Travis, a master of water manipulated the raindrops to connect in a specific pattern and then fall as one. _That was the signal._

All of a sudden Ashe appeared; her form crouched, in the middle of the clearing right in front of the undead masters. The location was specifically picked. She was out of sight from the guns thanks to the barrier of monsters and the jaguars were too far away to get to her.

It took a moment for her presence to even be registered but by then her image blurred and she slammed a fist into earth. Tremors wracked the clearing and it sounded like booming thunder. An intricate network of spider web cracks branched out. Fissures opened up and swallowed a few of their enemies. Others were thrown off balance. The humans suffered the worse and their new wounds caused a stir among the vampires as blood was scented on the air. At the epicenter, she stood several feet deep within a crater.

Utilizing their infantry skills, the elementals attacked in specific order. The human guards fired their guns and shouted orders to one another. The forest as if sensing the clashing of predators came alive; nocturnal animals called out, watching, waiting. It wasn't safe for them to flee as it would only incite the predators. The Kylierions were quiet, using their common psychic links to the fullest and it clearly unnerved their enemies. Four elemental masters appeared and attacked the mage, each encasing him in their chosen element, before he could weave any magic. Only seconds had passed.

Lightening started to rain from the sky; the vampires had recovered and became organized ready to fight back. Though by then two squads already breached the premises and streaked in. An extended guard squad accompanied Ashe, while certain elementals snuck in through cracks or windows. Though it was one fight it was broken up into two different kinds of battles. The clearing was filled with chaos. There was no safe area and energy flew from all sides. Kylierions would surround the vampires only to find themselves surrounded in return. Molecules broke apart and coalesced at record speeds and only those with honed instincts survived.

The other fight was controlled, even orderly. The elementals moved with deadly precision as they gained control of the compound room by room.

Information was taken directly out of the minds of those they came across before they were mercilessly cut down. Some of the humans were not fully aware of what they had been involved in, and believed they were studying a virus. Those were killed quietly and painlessly. _It was a shame_, Iris thought. _Those poor bastards manipulated into doing this. They thought they were doing good, on the edge of a medical breakthrough that would save lives. _She glanced around at the room she was in and made sure the members of their research and development division were safe while they hacked into the computers and began collecting samples from the shelves and coolers. Evidence had to be retrieved quickly and safely. There could be no contamination or interference. Their scientists in Costa Rica would study what they gathered extensively here today and unravel the intentions of their enemies. The list of psyhic women was particularly unsettling to the research team.

The barrier at the door trembled for a moment and twin sai's appeared in the Airan's hands. The energy at the doorway did not affect sound and Iris could hear the roar of a challenge before two Kylierions ripped, what she thought was a male jaguar, apart.

"This is incredible." One of the men whispered to her left.

"It would be more so, if you could hurry it up." She sung back sweetly, twirling a sai restlessly.

"_Don't distract them. This is serious." _Ashe gave her best friend a mental shove and a glare. That little contact allowed Iris to learn the younger woman was just getting to the holding cells. Gabrielle and somehow Jaeden were with her. Kylierions must have infiltrated the cells beforehand and prevented the remaining jaguars from reaching the women.

A quarter of an hour passed.

Then another before both retrieval squads had the victims and research materials ready for transport. There was only the occasional burst of chatter along common telepathic bond now. Most of the fighting was over.

The teams were running sweeps now, making sure nothing was missed. Bodies were collected and any evidence of Kylierion presence was being destroyed slowly. The compound would fall next. The squads with Iris and Ashe met up before they reached the outside. Together they fell in line offering protection and support.

Jaeden and Travis were each holding an injured female shifter. A medium sized tan jaguar trotted ahead of the group. Once they reached the outside, a deep chesty cough was emitted from Gabrielle's throat. It was a roar filled with such feelings that everyone gave the female shifter some space to regain control of her thoughts and emotions. Several beings were able to glance at the injured women and recognized how serious their conditions were, before returning to their individual tasks at hand.

"Whatever purpose they were to serve was obviously not long term. She is fading fast. If she is to live we need to get her back to the med-ward." Jaeden spoke vehemently to no one in particular. Gabrielle suddenly appeared and nuzzled his leg while letting out a cry that could only be described as a keening wail. The Lycan dropped to his knees and grabbed the cat's head in his hands forcing their eyes to meet. Softly he spoke to her, reassuring his friend. Reminding her that Ashe was the best medic outside of America and she could save them both. After scratching her behind her ears he went to check on his charge since they would be separating shortly.

Captain Travis waved his hand and gave out the final orders. After exchanging nods with a fellow captain he moved elsewhere to supervise their soliders. A female elemental with strawberry blond hair and a Captain's mark approached.

"Status?" Ashe spared the older woman a glance before returning to her patients. The women were laid out side by side and the princess had a glowing hand on each of their chests. Her energy re-entered their systems and meticulously checked over their injuries and the emergency work she had done in the holding cells.

"They need to travel but probably shouldn't. Sangria's injuries surprise me. It looks like they took samples of her blood. Obviously they needed a control group for whatever experiments they were running and they left her alone for the first few days to ensure it was an accurate reading. But they definitely made up for it afterwards, though no signs of rape. I want to take her personally, because her internal bleeding is making me nervous. We need to get to the Ways and fast. The other one also needs more treatment. I did what I could to ensure she lives but I need to get her back to the med ward. Both have been contaminated by vampires." A flood of heat reached them as the piles of vampires' remains were destroyed. A dancing flame provided better light to all and soon it branched out. Tiny flames lapped up the black blood and the Kylierions just continued with their work.

"Larkspur and Airan are staying behind to take down the compound; I'll take the other victim. As long as we take an escort guard we can leave whenever you are ready." That was good news but their escorts could not sift and that made Ashe frown. Normally she would insist but time was a factor. Amethyst colored eyes became clouded and she merely nodded curtly.

With practiced efficiency she picked up the royal shifter and was careful not to worsen her condition. Looking down she addressed the unconscious woman.

"You are safe now. You have my word." The sight of the petite princess carrying such a large burden was a sight the Kylierions had become used to over the years. The shifter's larger physique was nothing to a Sole's enhanced physical strength and she just gathered her energy inward. Power sparked and soon the molecules connecting the women dispersed into the air. The other pair disappeared as well and soon Jaeden, Gabrielle, and a few others were accompanying them across the land at top speed.

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Poisonous Thoughts

Part II

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_(Scene Change)_

It had been several weeks since the De La Cruz brothers saw their head of house. Since he was close to turning, Zacarias stayed at another location away from their more populated properties. This was how it had been in recent years. Mysterious and elusive, was what he had become. So withdrawn not even his own brothers could find him when he did not wish it. And he did not wish to be found.

When one of his brothers was injured his presence was felt by all and for a time the De La Cruz family was whole once again. Even the families that served them, had gotten used to the almost regular appearance of the dangerous hunter. But it did not last and once Manolito had fully recovered, Zacarias retreated back into the forest; to continue to lead a solitary existence in a self-imposed exile.

When news reached the family of Solange's failed rescued and subsequent abduction, the brothers conferred and knew they could not hide it from their eldest sibling. After learning of the threat to a person under his protection, Zacarias returned to handle the rescue personally. It was a dangerous risk, but honor would not allow anything else. Nicholas was the only brother abroad but the others would also lend their assistance to rescue Juliette's relative.

There had been a heated argument between the brothers. Actually it was only heated on Riordan's side and it was not much of an argument. Juliette had been quite vocal in her need to partake in the rescue of her treasured cousin. The youngest De La Cruz relented and after laying down some rules and making her promise to remain by his side.

However, Zacarias would have none of it. The eldest and most powerful Carpathian stated that his sister-in-law was precious and was not allowed to join them. He believed she would only be a distraction, especially to his brother. Tensions ran high but Zacarias then proceeded to berate Riordan for allowing his lifemate to dictate him in such a way.

As head of the family he was to be obeyed without question and the issue was quickly resolved. After Zacarias calmly stated he would assert control over his foolish brother and his equally foolish mate to ensure that they both stayed on his property out of harm's way. For centuries Zacarias had raised his younger siblings and kept them safe. All had trusted his word and power. Now was no different. _Yes, he was close to turning but it would not be today. Not until his family was safe once again._

After rising from the enriched Brazilian soil, Zacarias contacted another solitary Carpathian to aide them. At their Prince's approval Dominic Dragonseeker infiltrated the enemy camp in the hopes of retrieving vital information and hindering their enemies plans. Despite needing to maintain his cover, the ancient hunter realized the importance of this mission and offered his assistance.

Though it was considered too soon to act; with Solange's capture they had no choice but to use the opportunity that presented itself. If all they did was rescue the female shifter it would alert their enemy and their chances of discovering the needed information would be gone.

It had taken some time, but a plan to retrieve all they needed was developed, with the aid of the Carpathian people. During that time the brothers searched for Juliette's cousin. Once they found where she was being held they observed the goings on in the compound extensively. Since it was too close to a new day, they had to push back her rescue until the next full night.

The day ended quickly and it was the night they gathered together and attacked the compound. Though they were almost all ancients, Zacarias was the most elusive of them and helped to hide their presence well.

The vampires were arrogant and did not suspect an attack. Even their defenses were down, their focus on their fragile alliances. The presence of fresh and warm blood pumped through the veins of the humans and the jaguars nearby. They were restless and without the masters' control the temptation would be too great and the creatures would slaughter all. Even now it appeared as if the masters struggled to maintain control.

Carefully with the grace of a true predator the distance closed and the Carpathians surrounded the compound. In various positions, just behind the tree line they laid in wait. Each of them had centuries of experience fighting their fallen brethren and they patiently waited for an opening. If one did not present itself then Dominic would stroll into the compound and create a diversion.

Orders were delivered by the commanding and authoritative Zacarias and they each had certain responsibilities to fulfill. Numbers were not on their side but only the vampires were their main concern. The mage would be dispatched easily and the jaguar men were of no threat to the Carpathian hunters. Many of the shifters would flee, except for those in the compound.

Time passed and yet no signal was given. The Carpathians wondered why but did not question Zacarias. No opening presented itself and soon Dominic would have to make his move and create a diversion. Though he could not define what it was, instinct told Zacarias to remain and he did. The hunters remained inactive, as another hour crawled slowly by. They were in no danger of the sun rising, and it just late in the evening. The earth and even the air felt different and it presented more clues and yet more answers. Though he had no reason to, Zacarias shared his suspicions and the other hunters all agreed something was off. So they monitored the compound and waited.

It was not the mage or the vampires. For there was no taint but it was as if the elements around them were gathering energy. Finally an answer was presented, surprising the Carpathians.

Zacarias watched with hard-bitten critical eyes as a small figure, obviously a woman, suddenly appeared between him and the shuffling group of vampires. She was only a few feet from the master vampires when the very earth came under assault.

"_Did she make a crater in the earth with her fist?"_ Riordan asked with disbelief while watching the surreal scene in front of him.

"_What is she doing by herself? She is obviously touched in the head. Do we aid her brother?"_ Rafael spoke but it was apparent he was asking Zacarias. However before an answer could be given more beings suddenly appeared. Some rose through the earth and others dropped from the sky as she had done. Shocked the hunters watched as realization struck them.

Beings of an unknown nature had snuck into their rainforest attacked the enemy compound.

The strangers, all of them with varying shades of blonde hair moved into the next stage of their assault. It became clear to the Carpathians that they were organized and well trained. Experience showed in how each and every one of them moved. The strangers did not attempt to negotiate, nor did they even speak.

This was not a simple skirmish and the strangers appeared to have only one intention; to gain control of the compound. What worried the hunters was that their purpose was unknown and their display of skill was unsettling.

Obviously, the vampires and their allies were not expecting an attack and appeared just as shocked as the Carpathians. It was only a moment, they hesitated, but only a moment was needed. The mage had been slain and the guards stationed in the trees and at the edge of the clearing were killed. It happened simultaneously and then the vampires retaliated and the battle escalated.

"_What do we do?"_

"_We wait. They are unknown and they might attack us as well. If they are after your mate's cousin we can interfere after the compound has been taken and they are weary from the battle. There is around fifty of them, we cannot hope to win at this moment."_ Zacarias ordered as he adjusted his position in the tree. The situation was not ideal and truthfully the female shifter could be in the same amount of danger.

Eyes the color of black ice were focused on the first female and he watched her; under heavy guard enter the compound. A look of determination was etched on her face. It was a harsh look, one that was unsuited to be an expression on her face. The way lightning flashed across her face before she disappeared, he felt pulled to the woman. For some inexplicable reason, Zacarias had an urge to draw her. But most importantly out of all the beings there he wished to drink from her.

Then his attention was pulled to the fight at hand as white lightning struck the earth. Surprisingly both sides were able to call lightening to them. Though he could only see the world in a colorless grey he knew the color of the female that suddenly appeared towards one edge of the clearing. She had light hair, probably blonde with darker streaks and it looked like she called fire to her hands. With grace she turned catching the vampire that had been trying to sneak upon her, forcing it to go on the defensive.

"_The vampires have no control of the earth." _Rafael stated in confusion and it was true. They were not the only ones noticing this and the vampires soon turned to mist or used their other abilities. A female jaguar appeared and viciously brought down some humans when she suddenly rolled away. A vampire and one of the unknown beings appeared right where she had been. An avian predator screeched and dove into the fray but was soon brought down with a flick of a wrist and a flash of metal. Bats and other creatures controlled by the undead all met the same fate. One of the strangers had his throat ruthlessly ripped out. But before the vampire could even taste his blood it was engaged against two tall and heavily armed women. The scent of blood became overpowering and it called to all of them.

Dominic and Zacarias were the only ones present at risk. The two males were not mated and the darkness within them grew. The beasts stirred. That constant whispering to give in rose in volume. In fact the beast within roared for them to gorge themselves on the victim's only meters away. Unbearable, it became. For so long they had been without feeling. _There was so much blood, so many victims,_ Zacarias thought.

A traitor to his own mind, his thoughts viciously rationalized that he could just take one of the strangers. The others would believe they fell to the undead and he could remain undetected or spirit away his victim. His own thoughts were like a poison. Or a virus that was taking over. He longed to feel something, _anything, _at this point. Honor was not something that could keep him going. It was intangible and he had already been damned. There was no giving back, no making up for what he had done. And if there was, wouldn't he have paid for it by now? _After two millienia? _All that was left was his brothers.

_Family._ Zacarias desperately clung onto that thought. If he gave in to the beast he would bring about their deaths due to just one moment of weakness. It was not certain that the strangers would not detect them; the possibility of discovery was still a strong.

It was disgusting, but he wanted to flee. To leave the temptation, to go to where there was no tantalizing scent of blood upon the air. Years upon years of discipline had almost crumbled but he had found the strength to tighten the chains around the beast. The desire to give in receded but it was still strong. With barely a thought Zacarias shifted forms, becoming solid once again. Now that the call of blood did not permeate his immediate surroundings and was only in the air it allowed him to gain some clarity of mind. It was clear he had only months, if that, to continue existing.

The strangers could not be human and had to be of preternatural origin. Unlike any race the Carpathians had ever encountered. The strangers wielded the elements but without any disconnect or manipulation. There was no chanting and not any particular movement, so even though they felt similar to mages, they were not.

Brothers and a fellow warrior watched as a pair of the strangers, climbed out of the small indented crater and split apart suddenly just as a vampire appeared. Before the creature could land, the monster's head was cut off and it rolled away. The shock was still evident on its decaying face.

Quickly, the male pinned the arms down and the women reached for the heart with a blade. Moments later, a burst of light and flame engulfed the organ. The body was dispassionately dropped and the pair moved on.

"_They are psychic."_ Dominic stated. It was the only explanation for what they were seeing. Some of the fighters would suddenly adjust themselves out of an incoming vampire's path or to take down an enemy. Random fighters would suddenly change position and lend aide to another and it was all done silently. Regardless of how much one studied their enemy and planned, not everything could be expected or anticipated in battle. No, they were too well coordinated and it was as if they were all seconds ahead of their enemies._ Psychics_. It was the only explanation. They all had to be in contact with each other in some telepathic way.

"_Could they be possible lifemates?"_ The question went unanswered but the Carpathians focused intently, especially on the females, hoping to confirm their suspicions and what could be hope for their people.

A male jaguar found himself flung against a tree and he landed with sickening crunch near one the De La Cruz brothers. The shifter did not move but the body was soon set ablaze by the odd female they saw minutes ago before she withdrew a throwing dagger and sunk in into the eye of a vampire fighting one of her kind. Backing up, she became close enough for Manolito to reach out and touch, but he did not and watched her attempt to take on the vampire alone keeping distance between them. Slowly, Manolito withdrew deeper into the forest to avoid detection.

Flames danced in the woman's hands and from Manolito's position he could feel the energy gathering before sparking into existence and greedily licking up the creature's legs. The smell of burning rotten flesh was so potent for a moment before lightning flashed and struck again, this time controlled by a vampire. Another female was thrown into the girl near Manolito and they both went down, one trying to catch and break the fall of the other.

Eventually the intensity of the fight slowed and only a few vampires or jaguars had to be chased down. A blonde with hard teal eyes ruthlessly slit throats or threw projectile weapons. The natural speed of the jaguar or vampires were of no assistance and even the forest could offer no protection from her. Zacarias and the others recognized her as the one who destroyed a master.

It was when the clean-up began that the Carpathian's interest was piqued again. Their options were still limited and they waited to learn more about these strange supernatural beings. Bodies were being checked and dragged into lines as the cleaning process started. _They were efficient._ Weapons imbedded in flesh and the earth were withdrawn telepathically, and floated towards one particular female who then proceeded to check them over before putting them into three odd piles.

Moments later a large party emerged from the building. Instantly, Zacarias' eyes honed on the lithe female that he had first seen. She was bending over something that one of the males had in his arms. A figure. Despite the blood and dirt the figure was clearly Juliette's cousin_._ The brothers tensed as she touched someone under their protection. The beast stirred within Zacarias, hoping for a fight, for a chance to drink from the petite female. Anticipation built and he leaned forward slightly.

Riordan stirred and the distraction allowed Zacarias to regain focus. The women were still alive but not in a position to defend themselves. If the strangers had wanted them dead, they already would have been. This move told the hunters much and gave the Carpathians time to consider options.

Thoughts were proven true when the males laid the captured women down on a clear section of the forest floor for a moment. Then they started talking and the De La Cruz family all felt Riordan's lifemate gasp in fear and concern when they overheard that her cousin was dying. Frantically, she called out to her lifemate and his brothers begging to be allowed to join them, and rescue Solange, but Riordan told his female to trust him and he would return with her soon.

The youngest De La Cruz was in the middle of asking his brothers if they could send an envoy and appeal to the strangers hoping they would return the female that belonged to them, when Zacarias ignored his brother in mid sentence. Ending their private connection.

Intensity burned in the eldest's dark gaze as he waited to see what the female would do. He leaned forward and focused all his energy on being able to hear despite the distance between them and the distracting noise in the clearing. Serenely he inched forward, waiting to see if he would have to interfere and remove the shifter out from under her control.

The seconds ticked past, as if time had slowed. He found himself mesmerized and entranced by her. It was almost as if he was controlled and when she finally spoke his wait was over but it was not what he expected. Blindsided he was.

It was like he had been punched, for his breath suddenly was expelled from his lungs and his chest began to tighten and hurt at the swift loss of oxygen. The tree he was in turned a mossy green in an instant, and a heartbeat later, the entire forest came alive. Shades of green suddenly appeared and bled into the land transforming everything in sight. He was so shocked by the reappearance of color in his vision, he forgot he had slowly been moving forward, and almost fell to the earth. Only instinct had saved him and he had unconsciously shifted into mist and remained hovering there in the air while chaos reigned in his mind.

Uncontrollable, raw, emotions emerged from somewhere deep within. Stunned for a moment he couldn't even revel in the fact that the barren wasteland he existed in was gone. Nearly two millennia of pent up emotions almost overpowered him. Though it was indescribable to be able to see and feel again, his attention was focused solely on the strange female.

_She._

She had been the cause of this. Everything else had already faded away. His brothers were forgotten. The reason he had be called here, was forgotten. Nothing but her seemed to matter. Every detail about her became etched in his mind. She was speaking and though her voice wasn't smooth and melodious, it was distinctly feminine. There was detachment in her voice, her tone business-like. As if it was a piece of armor she was wearing.

Just the sound of her, the sight of her, sent burning hot streaks through his body. That unquenchable thirst he constantly battled, raged and this time it was combined with centuries of repressed sexual tension. The primal emotions he was experiencing forced his focus inward.

_There must be a mistake_, he thought. Looking around he indeed saw the world as it was meant to be, awash with color.

The raging need churning inside of him could not be due to some spell. There was only one explanation. She was his lifemate. The realization of having his destined mate, the savior of his soul nearby, did not make the situation any better. In fact depression welled inside of him. His body cooled.

The scene in front of him changed and the female, _his female,_ suddenly picked up the injured shifter with the intention to heal the cousin to his brother's own lifemate. This new development of discovering that he had actually been granted a lifemate was, unsettling. There was no relief, and the overwhelming volcanic emotions he felt only added to his distress.

Like before, his lifemate suddenly disappeared. It was his responsibility to recover the shifter and he reached out to his brothers.

"_I will follow them. Once she is healed I will return with her."_ His voice was like lead and left no indication the recent change with him. He had no wish for his brothers to learn of his discovery. They would not understand his dilemma and would attempt to interfere out of a misguided sense of love.

Someone would have to remain and watch over the strange beings that accompanied her. Quickly he delegated the task to Dominic and ordered his brothers to return to their home and ensure their lands would be protected and secure. Without another thought or word to them he propelled himself forward. Though he told himself it was out of a sense of honor and duty that he went after the mysterious group, the truth was he was not ready to let her leave.

Immediately, he learned he could not track his female as he would a vampire or human. Though it was possible to track via scent he would have to have been closer, almost next to her to pick out her distinct scent in the clearing.

Earlier, before the attack, he had noticed something he was unable to describe. Like before he could not trace their unfamiliar energy. It was as if there wasn't anything there to trace, like nothing was wrong or amiss. That was impossible because in the world energy fluctuated. And it was the absence of such a path that allowed him turn towards his mate. Instinct told him he had been right.

Soon enough he caught up to the group and had to slow down otherwise he would be detected. An odd breeze waved in the air and with it was a large spot that everything was perfect, the same. Zacarias was above all else a dominant predator. There was no way she would be able to escape. Wherever she went he would find her. The group moved well but nowhere near the speed of his kind. Circling them almost lazily allowed him to gather his thoughts.

_A lifemate._

It was an inconceivable concept to him. One he had given up on long ago.

_His own lifemate. _

Only those of his kind that had proven their worth, those that deserved a lifemate were granted one. While the males of his kind were the most optimistic they had been in centuries, he had long accepted that he did not deserve such an honor. The other hunters held on to their hopes that they would find the light to their darkness, but Zacarias knew no one would be born for him and him alone. He was damned to exist with only half a soul.

Since his birth his purpose had been two-fold. The most important one was to protect his brothers, his family. Everything he did had been to ensure their survival, even if that meant he had to sacrifice his own soul in the hopes that they could last and find salvation. He did it all willingly.

It had taken time, centuries had passed but it had happened, and now all of his brothers were safe. They each had their own lifemates and there was no place for him in their world anymore. To make matters worse he had ruined his honor to a point which it could never be restored.

No, he had committed sedition. Knowing he could never make up for the treason he engaged in, he did his best to rid the world of vampires. To lose himself in the task he had been given by Prince Vlad long, long ago.

Too much had happened. The only way to cleanse his soul, to be worthy of a lifemate in the next life, would be to greet the dawn now. There was no other option for him to pay for his misdeeds.

The guilt and the self deprecation ate at his soul. In a masochistic fashion he embraced it. It had been too long since he could actually feel the shame and responsibility for the crimes he committed.

He needed that to ground him.

Despite all of this, and knowing that his thoughts were true, that they were valid, the fact didn't change; he had a lifemate. For any other hunter the path before them would be clear and they would do whatever it took to claim their mate. Because he was so entrenched in his beliefs Zacarias was unsure what to do. Did he desire a lifemate? _Yes_. But it was not that simple.

He had long since realized that the world had changed, yet he remained the same. _Unyielding and unchanging._ Time and experience had shaped him into who he was now; a ruthless and vicious hunter and until recently, he killed often. And throughout his life he was responsible for the safety of others. Not just his brothers but many were under his protection and he had sacrificed much to keep them safe. Especially his brothers, they mattered above all else.

The lack of emotions at times had been almost a relief and allowed him clarity to make those hard but necessary decisions. Like when he had to slay his own friends. Time passed and his self awareness grew enough for him to realize that he was not fit to be a lifemate. _Not anymore._

There were not many times when he walked among humans and he had not returned to his people's homelands since he was sent to South America. But he knew that he was too dominant, that he could never fit in among others. Not with his own kind and not with a psychic human woman.

Months ago he and Dominic had met to battle vampires and he had admitted to the ancient hunter that there was no place for him in this world. One cannot change their basic character and he was a dominant male. A woman, even of his own kind would resent him now. At the time when he reached this acceptance he had no feelings and instead he vowed, again, that his purpose would be to protect those he had loved.

But now everything had changed, and yet stayed the same.

He was still not suited to being a lifemate. _Could he tie their souls together, when she would be unhappy for eternity? _Just because he had given up hope did not mean he did not want a lifemate. _Could he act out of selfish desire and bind them together?_

If the war with Xavier and those he once called brothers had not become so dangerous he would have already greeted the dawn. As it were, he was the only thing the Malinov brother's feared, the only barrier preventing them from wiping out his people.

If he acknowledged this claim, it would put her and all she cared about at risk. _For she would be his only weakness. _Could he split his focus and allow himself to be distracted in such a way? Now was not the best time to try and build a life with someone even if she was his destined mate. In fact it was probably the worst time to face such a decision.

Reason battled against his inner desire.

And logic warred against instinct.

So when the feeling suddenly stopped and he could no longer track lifemate he had to make a decision. Would he search the world over for her and bond them together for eternity or would he search just to retrieve one under his protection?

*End*

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Hello! This completes the first submission to the **5 Ways Challenge! **A collection of 5 one-shots dedicated to the alternate ways characters in a specific fandom met. I recieved a few PM's and reviews from my _Dark Times _and _Dark Moments_ telling me they would be interested in reading it. I must say that the challenge intrigued me, because as I was writing _Dark Moments_ I had so many other ways that Ashe and Zac met. But then the characters spoke to me and I went with what I did! But this challenge allows me to think outside of the box and re-consider all that I had tossed out! Since this is based on _Dark Moments_ everything is already established. Each one-shot will be different and will be a stand alone. Ashe is almost 23 in this one-shot, the same as in _Dark Moments_ but that will not be the case for the upcoming one-shots. The couple will meet years earlier and years later depending on the circumstances and situations they are involved in. So If you are joining me for the first time or are a fan of my other works and decided to check this out, then either way I thank you for reading my submission to this challenge.

Your comments fuel my passion for writting, so please leave me a review with your thoughts, comments, and advice!

~Ageless Light

***Notes/Rant/***

1. This Zacarias is still the Zac we all know and love but after reading Dark Peril I fell in love with him all over again. I mean how can you not sympathize with him? To give up on the belief that you don't have, let alone, deserve a lifemate breaks my heart. This concept is apart of Carpathian culture and for zac to believe he is so damned that he does get one is awful. He has like no self-esteem and is so wracked with guilt and self sacrifice. In some of the upcoming one-shots he will be more receptive to having his lifemate and in others it will be worse. The main issue in this one-shot is that he feels he has no purpose, his brothers are all safe and since the world changed and he was the only one who didn't adapt only honor hold him together and even that won't last. So that's why he was so indecisive, I know it seems a bit unusual but he was having a crisis. How do you act and think when something you believe in, that is apart of your very core, that shaped you, all of a sudden changes. How can you adapt? Can you? That is the question. Anyway, there was more to this originally, but I thought this was a good part to cut it off. It lets you draw your own conclusion! Maybe if I get enough feedback, and once, I post another alternate meeting I can add to this. We shall see


	2. OneShot: Flight of Fear

**Title: **Dark Tries

**Author: **Ageless Light

**Beta-ed by: **Unofficially by the second half of Agesless Light. But if someone would like to be my beta please PM me!

**Main Characters/Pairing: **Zacarias De La Cruz and Ashelia Sole, Amelyn Stormcloud and Dominic Dragonseeker, and Iris Airan and Lojos Jaegar.

**Genre:** Romance/Fantasy/Paranormal

**Summary:** It was fated. Ashelia and Zacarias were meant to be together. They could have meant randomly, at almost any time since her birth or in any situation. These are just five different but alternative ways they could have met.

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for teens and older)

**Category: **Writers Challenge, and a collection of five separate one-shots.

**Specifics of the Writers Challenge:** Named _The Five Ways Challenge. _A challenge posed to an author where they are to publish 5 individual one-shots each depicting an alternative way characters can meet. It can be from any fandom and does not have to be relationship centered. Altering of time-lines is encouraged. This challenge is from a Live Journal community focused on SGA (which the second writer from Ageless light was originally challenged) before it was brought to me.

**Author Notes: **This fic is based upon Feehan's world combined with my own of the Kylierion Empire. Though you do not have to, I would suggest reading **Dark Moments,** first in order to get a better understanding of the characters.

**Spoilers,** **For this one-shot:** A/U Current up to the beginning of _Dark Curse_. Nicolas has not met Lara yet.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Dark Series Universe or any of Christine Feehan's characters. I do own the OC's though. I went to babynames . com for my character names though. The **original** concept of the Ways came from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. I however, have altered their purpose, make-up, and description to fit my fic. They are very different since I haven't even read the story, but if you like epic fantasy books; I encourage you to check them out.

**Status:** Continuous (Incomplete)

**Created on: **March 23, 2011

**Word Count: **14, 548 (**Total-22,955)**

"Talk" – regular talking

_Talk-_ Inner thoughts/ Flashbacks

"_Talk"_- Speaking telepathically

* * *

**A/N:** Please read the notices above, or they may be some confusion.

* * *

Flight of Fear

Part I

Large clouds covered the sky, obstructing any who wished to see the stars or the heavens. Trapped behind full dark clouds, not even the light of the moon could pierce the inky black of night. While it was possible to distinguish between the shades of black and grey any chance of visibility was waning as night grew. The wind howled in a foreboding way, as if warning away anyone that that dared to venture out in the current weather. There was such stillness in the land, that it was unnatural, so maybe the wind was sending the foursome another kind of warning.

None of the members of KATT squad 15 were sure; their minds could have just been playing tricks on them. The three girls, though only in their early twenties, had strong connections to the elements and if the elements had a reason to be so unsettled then they would know. _Right?_ The threat of the vampire grew until all races of the Great Alliance became concerned. The undead tainted everything they came in contact with and the mages contaminated the natural energy of the world. The unholy alliance between these creatures has caused disorder, changing the innate rhythm of life into a discordant symphony.

The Kylierion Empire and their allies spread their forces thin in an attempt to keep the balance and to return nature to its original state. It became difficult to narrow down exact disturbances and the threads influenced everything until certain areas felt wrong, as if oil was coated on every surface and in the very air. Tia and Ashelia had sifted into their other forms, and they grimaced at the vileness that was destroying parts of their home embrace them. Regrettably, the team did not have time to stop and purify the area. Instead they carried on with their task clear in their minds. The sky was dark and so was the land but they didn't need direction. They merely followed the energy signature and the potent sludge permeating their senses.

Ever since they had been deployed as a rescue team for squad 29 they had been battered by the harsh climate of Eastern Europe. Not even their close ties to the elements could completely shield them and in several occasions they blamed external forces. _They just knew the mages and the vampires were responsible. Trying to slow us down. _

Each KATT squad was designed with a specific purpose. Squad 15 was composed with Tia Larkspur, Jaeden Stone, Iris Airan, and Ashelia Sole as members. It was a heavy combat squad designed to be a free response team. Each member specialized in a different field but they all excelled in at least the basics of every aspect of various military branches. Trained as prodigies from a young age they were uniquely qualified to be able to jump into almost any situation and survive, which was why they had been assigned to aid squad 29. Commanded by Sterrling, squad 29 engaged a group of vampires that had been meeting regularly with a few mages in Russia. Just the thought of such mixed company made the Empire pause, fearing for any plans that the two species could implement. Something had happened and Sterrling's squad had been discovered. No information had been passed on but the instant cessation of contact via the common mind link caused many to leap into action. The order to send another squad came down through the ranks rapidly once communication had been lost, and though they responded immediately, squad 15 had been too late.

Sterrling's squad had been brutally slain and their bodies were arranged as a sick welcoming for the late rescuers to find them, before the enemy had vanished. The lone female Carpathian, Amelyn, had volunteered to care for the bodies and ensure that the proper rites were administered.

Now Sterrling and his men had not only reunited but combined their energy with the elements, rejoining the forces of nature from where the Kylierions had been birthed. It was the belief of every Elemental that death was not the end. They were pure energy that had taken physical form long ago and merely just returned. The souls of Sterrling and his men continued to serve the Empire and they would never be forgotten. For every time a Kylierion traveled down the path connecting to their baser elements they would be in contact with squad 29 and the many that had fallen before. When a Kylierion wielded an element they would be wielding the energy that had once belonged to the fallen. A Kylierion's soul forever serves.

Though they all wanted to participate in the last rites, sacrifices had to be made and with Amelyn handling that, it permitted the team to continue on and hunt the enemy. No one in squad 15 had known the members of squad 29 well. They were not close but they still had the right to be avenged. Sterrling's mission would be completed and the memory of the fallen would not be tarnished. The vampires had scattered and every kill took them away from their goal but slowly the enemies' numbers diminished. Tia, Iris, Ashe, and Jaeden pursued the remaining members; a mage and two master vampires, through Russia and into the Ukraine.

The cities disappeared as the group traveled via the sifting form of Tia and Ashe. Miles of forest untouched by the livelihood of towns was inhabited sparsely by sporadic farms the farther they went. As they streaked through the sky, a large river passed underneath them, and the group knew they had crossed the Dniester River and entered into the Republic of Moldova. It was not said, but as each step was taken they traveled closer to Romania.

Slowly, hour by hour, they gained on the enemy who showed no signs of stopping. Under the power of the sun, they rested and traveled eating up the distance between them and their enemies. Their tiredness and hunger disappeared as they focused on the hunt drawing ever closer. As time passed they grew so used to the evil coating every surface that everything else faded away but their goal.

Though mages were capable of manipulating energy and could exercise some control over the elements it was considered a bastardized version of what the Kylierions could do. At times, the elements were forced to obey the mages, but they had no true connection, and the elements would never harm a part of themselves even with urging from those tainted. Mages needed spells, hand motions, and other odd patterns, to get the results they wanted. Chanting and eye contact was the most common action for mage spells, but Kylierions had no need of forcing the energy to do their bidding. Like the Lycans, they were a guardian; a sentinel, charged with protecting the earth and its creatures. To the supernatural world the Kylierions were the policing force.

And they were judge and executioner on many accounts. Just like today. The battle ended quickly but with disappointing results. When the members of squad 15 caught up to the trio, the master vampires abandoned the mage at first chance. With Iris' barriers and Ashe's ability to remove the air from his lungs the mage was killed with a flick of Tia's wrist once they stole the information from his mind. None of the information made any sense so they continued on with their hunt; determined to bring down the vampires especially since they were masters. It was odd but the vampires traveled together, often breaking away, most likely to feed, but then reuniting as they led the squad through Eastern Europe and into the Carpathian Mountains. Every piece of information gathered intrigued the team and they honestly believed they had stumbled on to something big and most likely a threat to their Empire. On and on they would continue until the mystery was solved and justice was administered.

It was in the Carpathian Mountains that the team began to tread carefully. Since the destruction of the preternatural race that inhabited the mountains some centuries ago, the mountain range was a bit of a sacred space. The Empire had little information on the Carpathian Mountains but feared surprises were left behind to ensure the eternal rest of the fallen warrior race went undisturbed. Even the nomadic preternatural races belonging to the Great Alliance avoided this mountain range and Romania altogether. Believing that it had been several decades since an Elemental traveled, even in passing, through Romania, Tia and the others felt out of place. The lack of information regarding this particular region and of the once great species that inhabited the land set everyone's teeth on edge. _Could the vampires be leading them into a trap?_

The weather worsened the higher they climbed trailing after the vampires. The air turned bitter cold, and their digits felt numb most of the time despite their enhancements. Jaeden had quickly shifted into his wolf form but his fur froze as icy sheets of rain fell from the skies in a relentless pounding. Regardless of time visibility was difficult in both the day and night. Circling balls of fire bounced around the team but it consumed so much of the girls' energy, they had taken to eating solider pills almost daily and only using their connection to fire in dire situations. The weather was the greater enemy at this time and they were forced to endure the wild and untamed strength of the elements in their extreme.

Traveling through the Ways would have been safer and easier but they feared losing the trail and only stopped by briefly to re-supply or rest. Time blurred and the group grew more irritable. No one mentioned the celebrations they had missed in Hawaii. The thought of other teams scattered all over the globe, away from home; just like them brought little comfort. The Winter Solstice had passed and it was at least a day into the New Year now, and they were still hunting through the winter blanketed countryside.

* * *

_(Scene Change)_

Another day passed and they knew they were close because the elements were crisp and at war with the steady growing taint of a vampire. Anticipation grew and their heavy packs were ignored as they deftly climbed the rocky landscape that would get them out of the valley they had entered days earlier. The sky grew darker as night stretched its wings and ruled. The wind was even more brutal here as freezing precipitation shot down through the skies as if they were falling stars. The land was as barren as bones. Not even the snow leopards or the brown bears were sensed despite this being their natural habitat.

Jaeden occupied the form of a wolf, his inner guardian brought wholly to the front to offer protection from the harsh climate and because the vampires were close. Powerful muscles coiled and released, sending the wolf up the rock with ease and dexterity. All of his canine senses were stretched to their limits. In the form of dust particles and dirt, Tia was their rear guard, making sure nothing snuck up behind them. Leaving, Ashe to travel and carry Iris as air particles, together they traveled up the frozen wasteland only a few feet from the ground, always in between Jaeden and Tia. Their close proximity allowed her to expertly control the circulation of energy in their bodies to ensure their survival. A fight was on the horizon and they had to be in the best condition they could be. There were no wasted movements or extra expenditures of energy; everything was done with military precision.

Jaeden sniffed out a small enclosure hidden from most of the elements. It was the perfect place to rest because there was no other scent permeating the scene. Quickly and efficiently the team worked to set up a small camp. Barriers and shields were erected while Ashe cleared away the snow that had slipped through and dried the fuel for their fire. Alarms had been scattered around them and there was no need for one of them to be on watch. Instead the group huddled close to the fire and even closer to each other.

The wind turned violent again, almost throwing snow and ice at the rocks that stood strongly protecting the group. The fire was large and it lulled the three women and the male into sleep quickly. Hours passed, though it seemed like mere minutes before the group awoke and was once again traveling. The rest was not nearly enough; their bodies required much more but the brief respite had helped. Their minds were sharper and their bodies only suffered from minimal sleep deprivation. Days previous they had eaten the last of their rations, leaving them only with solider pills. They didn't have time to hunt so their bodies eagerly absorbed nutrients from the solider pills.

As they neared an exit from the valley adrenaline began to stream through their system. Hearts began pounding in an excited rhythm. The monsters were close. _They knew it._ They had timed their rest to match with the vampires'.

Despite their skill the Kylierions worried about adjusting the weather conditions to aid them. The young soldiers did not want to alert the vampires in anyway. The trail was clear, the taint of the elements leading them right towards a small farm. As much as they wanted to rush in and check for survivors their training controlled them and Tia circled the farm in her other form. It was doubtful there were any survivors left by this point. The others took up their proper positions. It was dark but they strained all of their senses trying to gather information. Oily, black smudges were infused with nature and around the farmhouse. The vileness of the vampires was thick in the air.

The vampires appeared arrogant not bothering to cover their tracks. _Maybe it was a trap?_ The farm was the only thing they sensed for miles and the monsters knew they were being pursued. A small town was farther away giving the farm privacy and the vampires' free reign to terrorize the victims before drinking their full.

An unforeseen variable was introduced. The surprising and unexpected feeling of another Kylierion reach the group. The elements pulsed welcoming the new visitors and they knew it was not a trick. Carefully Iris spread out her senses and almost gave away her position when she pinpointed the energy signature of one of their own. The other Elemental was in the farmhouse and the elements were calm. No signs of a battle, which informed the teammates of a black betrayal.

A dark and angry conversation followed and the team was sure the Kylierion was from the faction that caused the Great Split years ago. _A traitor, one that allied himself with vampires._ It was unheard of, vampires soiled all they touched and an Elemental would never stand for such a contamination. To gain answers they were going to have to confront one of their own people. The man was older, more experienced, and quite strong; Iris learned she could not breach his mental barriers without alerting him. The earth pulsed again in a particular pattern sending waves of energy out. It was precise, an examination of one's surroundings; one of the basic scanning methods associated with their military. Their presence had been discovered by the routine check and it was not one they could have avoided. The enemy knew they were somewhere close by. Quickly they rearranged their positions, waiting.

A thin lanky human male came out the front door, a powerful shotgun in his hands. None of squad members were close enough to determine if the man had been taken over or not. It was obvious that the man, was only human, and not of preternatural design; leaving them with the possibility of being a victim or a puppet. Even though the door remained open there was not a great visual of the interior and its inhabitants.

Minutes passed and strategies were considered. A cry of pain reached Jaeden ears followed by small sobs and the team had their answer when the teenager did not react. All emotion was masked and they embraced the soldiers within. Snarls and growls were heard and it appeared the vampires were fighting over their prey. _Now was their chance_, they decided together.

Discreetly, dust particles entered the house close to the wooden floors. At once Tia knew what to do and carefully she reached down for her connection to fire and encouraged the embers in the fireplace to grow hot and spark. Since the door was open, the wind swirled into the room scattering the embers. No scent was carried on the wind, other than the boy's and none of the inhabitants expected a wielder of air. When the girls combined their efforts sections of the house caught fire, the flames greedily eating at all it came in contact with. Chaos was created and the roar of the flames surprised those inside with the team using the small distraction to their advantage. All of them moved at once.

Guarding their backs, Jaeden circled the tree line to make sure another enemy wasn't close by. Iris leapt at the boy and entered his mind with a brutal assault; her goal was to shake the master vampire's control. As if a knife pierced his skull she sharpened her power and thrust her mind at his. When she realized it was not possible to break the connection without further study and time, she sent the boy to sleep. In one fluid motion she took his weapon and tossed it to Jaeden while simultaneously drawing her paired sais. Turning slightly her sky blue eyes flittered across the scene, taking every detail in about her enemies. Without thought she adjusted her stance and threw herself upon one of the enemies her teammates had drawn out.

Dust particles solidified into Tia and she appeared right next to the overturned kitchen table and began adjusting the charges in the air to create lightening in her hands. Dispassionately, she attacked the nearest vampire with the intent to push him outside to better maneuver. Though not usually a front line fighter, Ashe was of the Imperial bloodline carrying the famed physical strength of all Sole members. And she was more than capable of holding her own despite her skill being in medicine. With a brush of her hand to the fire, the flames eagerly latched onto her energy and answered her call, rising up and transforming everything it touched into an incinerating inferno. Smoke clouded the air and it clung to their eyes. Ashes swirled around coating skin but no one noticed.

The Elemental that betrayed their Empire proudly raised his right hand where an elaborate tattoo showed his association with fire. He was calm and it unnerved the princess. The girls all had a connection to fire but it was not their primary element and squad 15 realized they had just given ammunition to the traitor. Not to be deterred Tia and Ashe attacked at a furious pace. When the Kylierion male engulfed himself in flames Ashe didn't hesitate and reached out, latching on to a limb.

With a snarl she tossed the surprised man through the wall and well into the front yard. The burning home groaned suspiciously and Ashe spared the victims a glance. As a prodigy and one of the top medics she took in their conditions immediately. Her mind processed all the information and the signs and symptoms they displayed. Only one could be saved and possibly the unconscious boy. Gently she grabbed a severely injured older woman, most likely a grandmother, judging by her frail body. The heat was stifling but Ashe had no choice and burst into air particles, evading the vampires senses and rushed out of the house to pass the woman to Jaeden.

Instincts shrieked within her and she flung herself away from a swiping pair of claws without a second thought. Narrowly the creature missed her by only a few scant inches. The master vampire was old and powerful, almost on the same level as the Malinov brothers. His face was handsome for a flash before his true form shown through. The scent of decay was palpable and eyes with flames glittering in their depths stared at Ashe.

Relentlessly the beast attacked the platinum blonde woman. The creature did not leave any openings and came after Ashe hard, forcing her to go on the defensive from the start.

Meanwhile Tia was still facing off against the other vampire, leaving Iris to handle their fellow Elemental. Their minds were connected but they were so focused on their own fights they didn't communicate with each other, not wanting to ruin the concentration.

On the outskirts of the fight, Jaeden prowled in agitation. Dark, dangerous eyes watched the three pairs, waiting for an opportunity to jump in and assist his girls but there was never a chance. Instead he raised his snout to the air and sniffed. Once again the air was clean and the wolf spared the humans a glance.

It was a brutal and drawn out fight for all three girls. Already exhausted, hungry, and low on energy, took their toll on the Kylierion's bodies. Since their enemies were fighting with renewed strength the Kylierions did not have that extra edge and were clearly at a disadvantage. Their struggle was obvious and when Jaeden saw Ashe attempted to dodge but didn't react in time. Inky hands grabbed her and from below Jaeden lunged, jaws snapping.

Approximately 250 pounds of pure muscle flew into the air and hit the vampire, dragging them both to the ground rolling over each other. It had taken both of them to destroy the powerful creature. Unfortunately, they were also injured. Deep gouges raked the sides and belly of the giant wolf and Jaeden had trouble getting his four paws under him to rise again. Blood littered the pristine snow in great splotches, ruining the picturesque landscape that they had traveled in for days. Great plumes of smoke rose into the sky and parts of the farmhouse had collapsed. The fire was still strong and the girls tried to maneuver their fights so the elemental was separated from his strongest element.

The sandy colored wolf's coat was stained dark brown with blood and his injuries threw the vampire Tia was fighting into a frenzy. She constantly had to head the creature off as it tried to reach her injured friends. With great pain, the wolf maneuvered into a position where he could protect the victims. One his large paws was greatly injured and he could not stand on it. This reduced the amount of aid he could actually offer to the others. A moment passed and he considered shifting but stopped at Tia's sharp command in his mind. Chocolate eyes filled with pain met the amethyst colored eyes of his princess who was trying to steady herself.

After exchanging nods with each other; Ashe with her sides heaving, tried to stem the blood flowing from her wounds. Black blood simmered on her skin and tears ran down her face as her wounds burned. Cursing, she knew she had been contaminated and the vampire would have infected both of them. Without having time to remove the parasites, she simply turned off her nerve receptors where her grievous wounds were, a dangerous move when in a fight, and moved to help Iris.

It helped, but pain clouded her system and she could still feel the vileness as it grew in her body destroying her from the inside out. Iris and Ashe had been a part of squad 15 from the beginning along with Jaeden and Tia. Their teamwork was flawless and one of the reasons they were so dangerous despite their young age. The male Kylierion had age and experience on his side. Mostly likely, centuries of battle experience and this aided him even against two powerful opponents.

Together the girls attacked the fire elemental. Water and earth were Iris' strongest elements while air and water was Ashe's and they used their surroundings to their advantage. The frozen landscape was a blessing for the team for the first time in days. Whenever the man would try to sift away in his other form, Ashe called forth a strong gust of wind which would keep the older Kylierion on the ground unable to sift in fear of having the particles spread too far apart for him to ever regain physical form.

Acid burned under Ashe's skin, making her muscles spasm at times. Close quarter combat was difficult to maintain but Iris compensated any time Ashe was unable to block or dodge in time. The Elemental had slowly been heating up Iris' weapons and she was forced to toss them aside where they landed, hissing slightly, as they melted the snow upon which they lay. With a few taps, Ashe injected her energy into her friend's shutting nerve receptors where serious burns damaged Iris's body. A buzzing filled the girls' minds but Iris strengthened their shields and refused to listen to the monster's lies or give him an opening. The man had since given up verbally talking and focused on the vicious attacks the pair sent at him.

Jaeden thought it was an extraordinary dance to watch. Almost like art in motion. Wind would enflame the fire only to be put out or pushed back by Ashe and the water element she wielded fiercely. The distances between the battlers would shorten or lengthen due to influence by the air and it was difficult to analyze the depth to properly attack. With grim determination the girls held their ground not allowing the man a chance to get close to the burning building and use the fire to his advantage.

Finally, the traitor's defenses were breached giving Ashe an opening and without hesitation she toed one of Tia's knifes that littered the ground, into her hand and dragged it across his throat, nearly severing his head from his shoulders with her inhuman strength. Bright red blood spattered nearly everything within a few feet. Shocked, they just stared at the body of their fellow elemental. It had not been Ashe's intent to kill him, nor Iris', but instinct had taken over.

Sickened, their minds whirled trying to rationalize it all in order to shield them from the gravity of what they had done. It was easier to kill than to subdue and it would have been impossible to gain control of the situation to get information without ending his life. The man would not have given up. He would have killed them, given the chance. He had tried to kill them, as evidence by their grievous wounds. Both the heiress' had to wipe the mixture of sweat, moisture, and blood from their faces and out of their eyes. A shriek snapped them both out of their stupor and in perfect synchronization the pair moved to assist Tia but stopped abruptly looking for an opening.

Blows were being exchanged so fast that the girls were unsure where to interject. Calling upon the elements would only injure their friend as well. Eyes the color of the blue sky scanned the surroundings hoping for an idea when Jaeden's energy signature flickered. Being unsteady meant he was dangerously low and his life was in danger.

"_Go."_ Iris' voice was colored with fear and Ashe didn't hesitate. Though Iris was injured and Tia more so, she believed in her friends. _They could handle it. They had to handle it. _With willpower she ignored the pain in her own wounds and ran towards the wolf. Fully in medic mode, she forced her mind to slide into his to assess his injuries. Murmuring soft words she tried to keep him tied to this plane of existence. _Why didn't he tell them? _It took a few tries but eventually that soft glow enveloped her hands and carefully she gathered enough energy into his body. One of his major arteries was cut and he was quickly dying of blood loss_. _That was the thing she fixed first but her control was slipping due to being contaminated by the vampire master. Her hands had to remain steady and they were wracked with small tremors from where claws bit deep into her arms. The nerve receptors had to be unblocked in order for her to proceed correctly. A painful whine was forced out of Jaeden's muzzle but Ashe hushed him. The wounds on his belly worried her most and she focused on healing his organs and knitting muscles and tendons.

Survival instincts honed through years of fighting warned Ashe of a threat to her life. It was impossible for a medic to remove their energy immediately from another's system. But she was forced to stop the procedure and pull away leaving her energy in his system without direction. It was only a movement but by the time her brain processed the awareness of an attack and her body responded to the signals being sent it was too late. She had been to slow, and pain exploded in her shoulder, neck, and arm. Automatically, her left arm blurred in an attempt to stave off the attack and to take advantage of the closeness with her attacker.

Slightly dazed, Ashe's light violet eyes looked at the teenage boy that had regained consciousness and was quickly getting to his feet within arm's reach. Startled she took in the worn utensil that was jammed through her flesh, deep into muscle and bone.

"No we are here to help you. Please." Ashe cried as she tried to cover Jaeden's vulnerable form but it was to no avail. Ashe wasn't able to tell if the child was still being controled or if fear had simply overtaken him. Before the boy cold reach for the gun she reacted, exploding into motion, grabbing him with her left arm and flinging him yards away from her. Even though he was lanky, he must have been over 150 pounds yet he was tossed like a rag doll, landing with a pained cry. Sparring a glance at Jaeden she concluded she could leave him for the moment but he was still in serious danger and she would have to make this quick and subdue the boy quickly. The others could not help her. Iris had finally joined the fight and was aiding Tia.

She had only gotten to her feet before a figure dropped down out of the sky without any warning. The elements throbbed with a warning that was too late. The aura surrounding the newcomer was menacing and she only glanced at dark eyes before she sifted into air particles for safety. The figure was obviously a male vampire still holding onto an illusion of beauty. He was tall, muscular, with long dark hair pulled back and he moved with a speed that had Ashe retreating even in her other form.

Fear clouded Ashe and she desperately tried to hold it together. She was not the only one under attack, her whole team was. _Vampires. Reinforcements_. White hot jagged streams of lightening erupted in the yard. Before the girls could attack they sensed the new arrivals attacking the master vampire in the clearing. Three more vampires dropped down and moved towards the girls, and the Kylierions realized that though the newcomers were not reinforcements it was in fact a three way fight.

Ashe dropped to the earth, widening her connections as much as she could. Such a move was dangerous, it quickly sapped their strength but the Elementals had no choice. Their wounds were serious and it was doubtful they would escape so they had no qualms about using what was reserved for a last resort. The new vampires had arranged themselves in a way which blocked the Kylierions from joining forces. It was a simple divide and conquer strategy but it worked. They were overwhelmed and pushed back, the distance growing between the foursome. A storm brewed overhead and the earth rolled. For a moment the Kylierions felt the confusion of the earth before it answered their calls. Ashe lost sight of the victim's and there was a new vampire near where the boy had been tossed.

Slabs of earth and gusts of wind pushed the monsters back allowing the girls to regain their footing and properly engage their new enemies.

Expertly, Ashe traded blows with the illusion wearing vampire but she wasn't able to dodge as well as she usually did. Numerous times she deftly would dance out of reach hoping to put some distance between them only to be surprised and unable to complete avoid his latest attack. The injuries from the previous fight hampered her flexibility and her exhaustion affected her reaction time. The contamination from the first vampire had worsened and if she stayed like this she would be killed soon. She could analyze his movements but simply not react in time. A hand suddenly backhanded her and she was tossed through the air into a tree. The thick trunk of the tree cracked and splintered upon impact but did not completely break. Pain clouded her senses. The Elements responded to her fear and without prompting deceived the monster allowing her to catch her breath and for the white spots to disappear before the creature came at her again.

Another vampire appeared near her, probably to finish her off but a stray lightening strike separated them and Ashe moved back towards what was clearly a master she had been just fighting. With grim determination she wrenched the steak knife out of her shoulder that the boy used, and purposely flung her blood across and on his face in the hopes to distract him. She only gained a slice on his forearm but avoided being hit or pinned so she counted it as a win. The earth rolled displacing the other vampire that had tried to enter their fight. And the air was so charged with stray energy leftover some of the vampires had trouble changing form. Thankfully there was no animals nearby, the monsters could control and use against the Elementals.

When Ashe's master vampire was close, fire sparked at her fingers jumping at the oxygen in the air and latching onto the dissipating energy. Catching him off guard and she slammed the steak knife deep into its abdomen, twisting it as it went in. Unsurprisingly, it was as if the pain did not affect him, because the creature didn't stagger or attempt to defend from a follow up attack. Instead, the monster merely crushed her hand under his strong grip before she could retract it, eliciting a scream. In order to free herself she sifted forms, leaving a cry of pain that carried on the wind behind her. _Did he have any concern for his own safety?_ She wondered. Something was tugging at the edge of her instincts but she couldn't identify it.

She didn't need to assess the damage; her left wrist was completely shattered. Combat medics were especially dangerous when fighting because they knew the body intimately. Ashe knew exactly what one's body could take and how to do maximum damage. She had been fighting vampires for years and knew how to take him out so she could move on to the others that had attacked her team. Already she had stabbed his kidneys and the ribs must have broken under the force she had exerted. With any luck his stomach was injured as well. Even the utensil's handle had imbedded itself deep into its body. It was a fair assessment but she believed that bone chips cut other organs and entered his blood stream.

Her wrist may be shattered but her arm could still be used if she was desperate. And she was desperate. Lightening rained down from the nearby battle, and the air rippled signaling the destruction of barriers. Using the dissipating energy to her favor, she spread out not allowing him to track her. Ashe was used to Iris and her attacks so she had no problem navigating the air streams. She faked coalescing in front and dispersed again in an instant, only to reappear behind him. As he whirled around she simultaneously raised her left forearm to block and her right hand clenched into a fist. With inhuman speed she drove a tight fist directly into the vampire's back. Her aim was true and the spinal column broke. The impact reverberated through the monster's body and ribs splintered. Despite the sounds of battle that surrounded her she could hear the crunch at the damage she caused. Her knuckles felt warm liquid but before she could further endanger the monster's lungs and go for the heart she was ripped away from him and then she knew no more.

Iris felt Ashe withdraw from their private connection, just like she had felt Jaeden's separation and in that instant she knew they were going to die. _All of them_. It took all of a half a second for her to take everything in. And it took only another half a second for her face to pale completely and her heart plummeted.

They were too injured and there was too many of them. Some of her barriers held but many were torn down under the sheer power the vampires commanded. They were seriously outnumbered and underpowered for handling this threat. Grief and rage bubbled to the surface and she dropped the famous impenetrable shields in her mind, transferring the power elsewhere to fuel barriers around her loved ones. This was what she trained for. This was what they all trained for. If only it would be enough.

"_Stop! Please I beg of you." _She projected her thoughts even though it was futile. Vampires were soulless beings but like all Airan's, Iris was a creature driven by emotion and logic was rapidly becoming consumed. "_Help. Someone. Anyone. The vampires are going to kills us. Please. Help us." _She screamed and used as much energy to reach out to anyone of psychic ability in range. The Empire was too far away but she prayed that they had allies nearby and her teammates could be saved.

* * *

Flight of Fear

Part II

* * *

A blast of psychic energy was felt by all Carpathians currently located within the Carpathian Mountain range. The blast was followed seconds later by a grief filled plea begging for assistance.

"_Stop! Please I beg of you." _There was only a breath between the messages. "_Help. Someone. Anyone. The vampires are going to kills us. Please. Help us."_ The emotion could not be faked and the speaker was obviously a female. This realization caused the Carpathian community to rise up and respond but it was the hunters closest to the calls that were shocked the most.

The hunters near the blond women were stunned for a moment but recovered and moved into position again until one of their fellow hunters appeared facing them, his back to the two women.

When the cry entered his mind Lojos Jaegar stumbled he was so shocked, but the swipe of yellow claws still missed him. The female's plea moved him. Emotion poured into his mind and he could not only hear her fear but he could feel it, welling up inside of him, threatening to drown him. The flames in the vampire's eyes he had been fighting suddenly exploded red and within the space of one breath everything he could see was replaced with color instead of shades of grey. In that instant he knew he had found his lifemate. Somewhere deep inside his emotions had been locked away for centuries but now they burst free and his mind had trouble identifying them. They were so complex and there was so many, he had to shake his head trying to clear it. While he attempted to gain control of himself battle hardened years of instinct took over and he had shifted into mist away from the vampire and reappeared at the edge of the barrier the female had erected.

"_You will stop. She is my lifemate and I will kill any who attempt to harm her."_ He stated firmly, his jaws snapping. Eyes the color of midnight blue blazed and before he finished his sentence his brothers had joined his side. His heart stopped for a minute before picking up a faster rhythm that had nothing to do with his recent fight but everything at the situation and the thought of harm to his lifemate filled him.

"_It is a trick."_ Lojos met the hollowed eyes of André Vlad who had felt the energy bursts same as he and rushed to destroy the _hän ku vie elidet_ in their people's land. Mataias growled muttering a curse at the solitary Carpathian for daring to believe his brother would lie. The other vampire was quickly dispatched by the other hunters allowing him to focus on what was most important. There was a small noise from behind them and the males faced the women in the barrier.

The tallest female stumbled only to be caught by the other. With one look Lojos knew she was his lifemate. The women shared similar features but he felt drawn to the one with eyes the color of the sky in daytime with hair the color of the sun.

"Tia. I need you to focus. I can't get us out of here without you. The barrier won't hold much longer. Think of Ashe and Jaeden." Tears streaked down the woman's face as she tried to stop her injured friend from going into shock. Blood of varying colors touched every visible surface of her skin and there were dark stains on her clothes. Though her words were filled with panic it was clear the woman was not a crazed vampiress.

"_What are they?" _Was the general thought racing through the minds of the Carpathians. A hunter, Nicolae Von Shrieder moved towards the fallen De La Cruz brother's side. _"Gregori, we require your assistance. Nicolas De La Cruz has been badly injured."_ He called out knowing that any more information would interfere with the other messages being passed.

"_They wielded energy much like a mage would." _Nicolae's brother Vikirnoff answered. His lifemate was Natalya and she was well versed in such abilities. The thought that the women could be mages made some of the hunters uneasy for many mages were working with their most hated enemy, Xavier. Those that had found their lifemate felt sickened by the damage they had done despite the possibility of the women being enemies.

It had become clear too late. The women were covered in serious wounds and there appearance made it difficult to identify them. At first thought, the hunters believed they were all vampires fighting amongst themselves over the remaining food. The battle skills the women exhibited showed that they must have tracked and fought the master vampires, only to think the Carpathians were reinforcements.

"_This is Iris Airan of the Kylierion Empire, Please! Can anyone help us?" _The voice shouted, piercing all minds, traveling along the common Carpathian telepathic link. It was unknown how an outsider could speak on their common link. It was unheard of and the female had done it several times now. Many tried to reach out to the women for different reasons but the path was suddenly gone. Not even Lojos could trace the path.

The miracle of knowing he had a lifemate, that she was only feet away from him, prompted Lojos to share his new experiences with his brothers. A part of him wanted to prove that what he claimed was valid. He wanted to ensure that there could be no mistake. _She was his lifemate._

It had only been several seconds but Lojos still was unable to gain control of the emotions inside of him and by opening his mind to his brothers he was able to remain grounded and not as affected by the startling colors or feelings.

Some of the hunters looked away from the scene in the yard and a few dropped back to burn the vampire carcasses and aide Nicolas De La Cruz. But the Jaegar brothers were not concerned with that. As the eldest sibling, Mataias remained between the other hunters and his brothers in case there was an altercation. The youngest, Tomas clapped his brother on his shoulder and awarded him a small smile all the while steadying Lojos.

In one fluid moment Lojos bent down so he was eye level and as close as he could get to the barrier. Gently he placed one hand on the energy field. It trembled when he probed it but it did not fall.

"You may celebrate now monster, but we will be avenged by our people." The female, his _female,_ his mind corrected, spit out while attempting to drag her friend deeper into the protective area. Those astonishing blue eyes hardened like gems and glared at him with such hate it was difficult to remain expressionless.

"Calm yourself. We do not wish to harm you any more-" Before he could finish she interrupted, rage coloring her voice.

"Lies. That's all vampires do." She palmed a small throwing dagger, discreetly, and her eyes took in the creatures on the outside of the barriers. He could see it in her eyes, she knew something was off, but could not figure out what.

Intelligence burned in her eyes and with a quick movement she flung her arm outward. Everyone tensed but Lojos. Gasps were heard and the other Carpathians watched the barriers around the other two members move closer to the girls.

"Your friends are close to death and you are injured as well. Will you not let us explain? There is little time and you have already seen that we do not act as vampire's do. I can see it in your mind. You will all die without our aid." Lojos did his best to sound soothing but it was not something he was experienced with. And it was difficult watching the emotions combine with pain flicker across her face. All consuming rage filled him and thankfully his brother's acted in his stead. Mataias snarled and ordered those loitering back as far as they could go. If one of the females was a lifemate then it was a possibility others were as well and the males did not want to cooperate. But the Jaegar brothers were ready to defend their brother; no one would be allowed to interfere with Lojo's claim.

The imposing form of Gregori, second to the Prince, arrived with several others and his presence cooled any escalating situations. The only De La Cruz still in Romania was terribly injured and required the attention and care of many. Herbs, blood, and the healing chants of their people may not be enough to save him. He was spirited away first once his injuries were properly assessed and taken to Gabriel and Francesca while he addressed the unknown foursome on behalf of the Prince. Glittering silver eyes took in the scene and he order unmated males away, now was not the time. Judging by the blood and the panic the women exhibited earlier several of her companions were near death. The front yard was almost completely destroyed. Weapons, blood, scorch marks littered the scene and even the earth had a network of cracks. The farmhouse had completely burned down, the fire having no fuel left but the embers still smoldered.

Slowly, hunters erased the presence of the supernatural battle and even the humans were being taken care of. Feeling satisfied Gregori moved on and by the time he had glided up to the barrier he had caught the end of the conversation between the famous warrior Lojos and his presumed Lifemate.

"Lies. You cannot fool me. My sister is the only surviving Carpathian left. You are not Carpathian." All work paused and the hunters stilled, their faces turned towards the women stunned by her revelation. No one so much as twitched for several moments and then gazes locked and expressions were exchanged throughout most of the Carpathians present. It was obvious what they were now discussing. _A female Carpathian unaccounted for?_

"You are worsening your friends' condition. Long have you swayed, ready to escape into unconsciousness, let us aide you." His tone was almost pleading, the fear high in his throat. The possibility of losing one's other half after just finding them, tormented the middle Jaegar brother.

"I will not give in. You attacked us."

As the greatest healer, Gregori analyzed the conditions of the women and _Lycan_, his mind stopped for a moment, as best as he could with the distance between them. The woman was hysterical and they had no time for such foolishness.

"By the stars. Why did it have to be me? Why couldn't it be Ashe? She could fix us in a second. I don't know where to start." Her tone grew and it was mixed with sobs while she glanced over her companion's forms endlessly.

With a snarl Gregori sent his energy out to probe the barrier. The Jaegar brothers glanced at him, Lojos was particularly displeased, but he merely continued on, uncaring of what others thought. He was the Dark One and would only answer to his Prince. Joining together, other hunters lent their strength and soon they did not need to take the barrier apart weave by weave, it shuddered only to collapse moments later. The Carpathians moved forward and before the female could do anything foolish, Lojos embraced the path that suddenly appeared and laced a heavy compulsion as he sent his mind into hers. She slumped forward but was gathered into the middle brother's arms almost reverently. Mataias and Tomas moved closer but stopped within reaching distance at the warning growl their brother emitted.

With clinical eyes, Gregori and his brother Darius turned their attention to the strangers. The wolf would live most likely as would the one called Tia if she received proper care, but with the other female it was not clear. All had been seriously injured but the smallest female had been gravely injured by not only by a vampire but also by André and Nicolas. Numerous questions raced through the minds of many Carpathians. News of a psychic female had spread along the common link as well as the possibility of a lone Carpathian female. All of the women had exhibited unique gifts and the chances that the other two were psychic were high. The appearance of four possible lifemates was a miracle, Mikhail thought. But first they had to ensure they all lived.

* * *

_(Scene Change)_

It was a large company that needed to be healed and every Carpathian willingly offered their strength or services in some way especially once it was believed the women were definitely not mages. The possibility of the other women being psychic grew and many were excited what this could mean. The appearance of a Lycan stunned even the ancient hunters for until recently they had believed the shifter race had been extinct.

Nicolas De La Cruz was severely injured and near death, he had to be sent to rest in the earth for many rising amidst several offerings of blood. Tirelessly, the Carpathian people worked to heal one of their own. The healing chants were used often and it took several nighttimes to ensure he was no longer in critical condition. The wounds were now serious but he was stable and had been sent to rich soil to rest.

The entire De La Cruz family was famous and all of the brothers were fierce warriors. All of the Carpathian people knew of them. Nicolas was considered an ancient and yet a petite female had reduced his body to a mere cage, containing a sea of bone shards and pulverized organs with ripped muscles. The stab wound was vicious and yet not the worst injury he had received. Since he had not wakened there were only brief accounts of his fight with the smallest female by what the other hunters had seen. Every piece of information led to more questions. Mikhail had turned to his vast library for answers but he had found nothing of value. Not even in his father's collection. The council of warriors was called and despite the possibility of new lifemates many hunters suspected this was a plot by their enemies. Nonetheless, Mikhail ordered the group to be saved.

The mysteries surrounding the strangers grew the longer the foursome was under the care of the Carpathian people. The beings were not of their blood so they could not send them to ground. Each of the females had rejected Carpathian blood, convulsing as their bodies rejected it violently. The surge of energy caused the women to crash and their hearts to stop. The only option left was for the healers to send their spirits into their bodies and heal them from the inside.

The female that had almost killed Nicolas had several life threatening injuries caused by a master vampire. It was inconceivable how someone could still fight on an ancient's level with such injuries. The damage that the Carpathian males had done was also frightening. Nicolas had clearly broken several bones, including fracturing her skull and completely shattering one of her wrists. Her back was littered with bone fractures from the impact of hitting the tree.

Once the vampire's toxins were removed Gregori and Francesca were rendered speechless at the unnatural healing the woman possessed. The healers just had to inhabit her body feeding it energy and it would automatically begin healing her without any needed direction. Despite the accelerated healing she was still in severe danger but her life was no longer at stake.

Days passed and the Carpathians continued to heal the strangers, even the wolf. The Jaegar brothers had only recently returned to their homeland and were often elusive in their actions, as they slowly created ties to Prince Mikhail. Now though, they had taken the entire group under their protection and selflessly offered all they could to heal the group.

The powerful female psychic's injuries had all been healed and yet she still slept deeply. Lojos had been frantic at first but eventually calmed understanding the shock her body had been in and the need for rest. The middle Jaegar brother refused to go to ground and rarely left his lifemate's side. The mated pairs understood, especially the couples that had almost lost their other half early on. So it was not surprising when Lojos spoke the ritual words and took only enough of her blood to deepen a connection with her. Since she was unconscious he had access to the majority of her mind. There were still barriers deep within her mind but he had glimpsed the names of the other women and learned that she was in fact an Elemental. A race he was unfamiliar with.

Many Carpathians, even the Prince were unaware of such a race and attempted to gain as much information as possible. It was eventually Tariq Asenguard that admitted to having encountered that particular race in America before. His information was limited but he recounted what he could. He had watched them from afar always avoiding their scans, but he had often watched them, especially when they hunted vampires in his territory. The ancient hunter stated his belief that the Elemental race was indeed psychic from what he had witnessed. The only other information he could give his people was that the Elementals hid in plain sight and had a connection to the sun that rivaled the Carpathian's connection to the earth.

It was this revelation that prompted the Carpathians to try and place the women in houses safeguarded by wards. The women were place on beds besides open windows which allowed the sun to reach them. When the women did not seem to be in pain as the morning rays touched them they were left under the care of humans that they trusted. Gary had once again proven to invaluable while he watched after the women and their Lycan comrade.

Despite Tariq's information the healers were still shocked by the change in their conditions once nighttime approached. At night when the healers arrived they were greeted to patients that had not only significantly improved but almost to a miraculous extent.

Now many of the Carpathians waited with bated breath for the women to wake. A day and several hours passed and Iris, the least injured, made signs of stirring, causing her bonded to pace with restless agitation, his eyes never straying from her form. For days he had sat by her side accompanied by his brothers. They had wanted to convert her, but since her physiology was so different the Carpathian healers were not even sure she could be converted. So Lojos sat by her side waiting for his life to truly begin. His eyes took in form, memorizing her face and learning all he could about his lifemate despite her unconscious state.

It was near midnight when her groan pierced the air and she struggled to open her eyes.

"Easy sívamet, your body has been through much. You are safe, I promise it." His hands stroked her hair trying to ease the tension that had suddenly built up within her. It took a few minutes for her to calm down. The shock of being captured by who she believed was her enemy drained what little strength she had. Yet, she was made of steel, demanding to be released and to see her teammates. Eventually her mind settled and awareness set in and she took notice of the others in a room with her. Swallowing slowly to ease her dry throat she searched for her courage and tried not to be intimidated by the imposing males in her vicinity. During her awaking the Prince had been informed and he traveled to meet her.

"I know you." She said hesitantly. _Hesitant? No Airan has or ever will be hesitant, _she chided herself. Beautiful cobalt eyes gazed steadily at her and she felt confused. "I have never seen you before and yet I swear I know you." It was the truth, she felt safe, something that shouldn't be possible when you are captured by the enemy. His presence reminded her of water, the element she was closest too.

"You were the one talking to me through my barrier right? But you were also here with me. I felt you, by my side. You spoke to me, I know your voice. What is going on?" She tried to take control but was unsuccessful.

They did not want to startle her but Lojos would not lie to his lifemate. There was no deceiving between lifemates. Carefully, not wanting to shock her anymore than she already had been through, he explained that they had taken her and treated her wounds. He spoke of her friends and gave an honest assessment of their conditions. Once again he admitted that he was of the Carpathian race and once again Iris did not believe him. Immediately, he offered her access to his mind. Hoping to cut her off before things escalated.

"You shouldn't do that, I'm a complete stranger." She stated and was angered by how she grew concerned over his flagrant disregard for his safety. A genuine smile grew on his face, slowly, as if he had forgotten how to smile and was just rediscovering the expression. Perfect, gleaming white teeth were shown and it was just another piece of evidence that these people were not vampires.

"You will not harm me." Was his simple response, but is voice slid across her skin like a caress.

Scowling fiercely, she remained silent and slowly slid her hand up towards his forehead. For a moment she forgot what she intended to do and just marveled at the planes and angles of his face. His skin was soft and warm, causing the tips of her fingers to tingle as she drew her digits across his jaw and up his cheek to his temple. Astonished by her action she grounded herself and concentrated on entering his mind. The path was open, in front of her. One she never noticed before but for some reason it was just _there_, as if it always was in the back of her mind just waiting to be used. Iris felt unbalanced as if she was not in her own skin, she was not acting like herself and her emotions were chaotic and all over the place.

The first thing she noticed was that his mind wasn't that notably different from hers, but then he drew her in deeper and she caught glimpses of his life. It was all jumbled and she wasn't able to process it by the time another image surfaced. It was only a moment but then it was over and instead she was left looking at an image of herself. Carefully in order he showed her all that had happened to her since the fight. There was no deception and she was amazed at the lengths he had gone to keep her alive. _Why?_ She wondered. He had heard her even though she was only thinking to herself.

"_You are precious to me. I will always keep you safe."_ Before she could ask him to explain his odd statement mist suddenly took physical form only a few feet from her bed. Two strangers appeared, making her outnumbered eight to one. Bright blue eyes skidded to directly in front of her, taking everything in.

The first man she set eyes on seemed nice. He had dark espresso colored hair and black eyes. There was intelligence but also curiosity reflected in his gaze. _If she could appeal to his intellect, offer information maybe they could keep their lives and be freed?_ He was powerful but it wasn't menacing and it seemed contained. Hurriedly, she slid her sky blue eyes over and took in the other.

This one she instantly did not like. _Not at all._ His silver gaze was unsettling and he appeared cruel, and she discreetly tried to edge her body back. Immediately, Lojos was there holding her hand and murmuring inaudible words. She prayed he was not the one in charge.

"You are all Carpathians." She stated finally grasping the obvious. She didn't want to admit it, after all what did this mean for Amelyn? A few nodded their heads but mostly they watched her with intense gazes. Iris was an Airan and she couldn't shield her emotions to save her life, but she tried to keep information hidden. Without any thought she began to fidget. She cracked her knuckles, and flexed her muscles, getting them to awaken after her long slumber.

The nice newcomer moved a step forward and introduced himself as Mikhail with an old world type of bow. Gregori was the name of the other male and she was shocked to learn he was their healer. Healers all had a similar personality and yet this one seemed to be the exact opposite of a normal healer_. He wasn't anything like Ashe or aunt Lulu._ Though Mikhail appeared genuinely nice he was clearly interested in her and her people. She didn't want to release any information but she was at a severe disadvantage and if she cooperated a bit but held back more another option would eventually present itself. It was obvious she was being kept alive for a reason and she just had to play along.

So she talked and confirmed their beliefs about her group being Elementals of the Empire. She even admitted that they believed the Carpathian race to have been wiped out by the Turks centuries ago and the only survivor was a woman she considered a sister. They were most interested in that piece of information. Their stances turned rigid and their focus on what she was saying disturbed her. She only gave away information that they would get if they contacted any of the other preternatural races. After all Amelyn was a very public figure. The only questions that filled her with apprehension and had her running her fingers through her hair, was when they inquired after Amelyn's age and if she had ever settled down with someone. _Maybe she had family members that had been looking for her this entire time?_ She wondered.

At one point Gregori finally entered the conversation and asked what her teammate had done to one of their kind. Iris pleaded that she had no idea which was only a partial lie. She could only guess that Ashe injected some of her energy into the man in the efforts to disable him from within or to be able to lock onto his energy signature later on. Energy used for healing could be so useful in other ways. It was a favorite tactic of Ashe's to send her enemies into medical comas. None of the men believed her but she did not push it and she realized the man must have pulled through if they didn't act too concerned. She did not want to tell of Ashe's secret strength, they would need that when they escaped. The less the Carpathian's knew about them the better off they would be. Sensing a need to keep things calm she decided to apologize.

"I, Iris Elodia Airan on behalf of the House of Airan and the Kylierion Empire sincerely apologize for the actions taken against you and your people. I also would like to thank you for all you have done to ensure our survival. Terms of reward can be discussed once all of my teammates are awake and fully recovered. I hope we all can take the time to ensure another misunderstanding like this does not happen again." Taking a gesture out of Ashe's book she inclined her head regally. Upon their acceptance she decided to push it a bit further. "With my people, we are required to make amends to the head of house and I would like to act in my teammates stead and begin talks with the warriors we injured. Except of course for the man Ashelia injured." It was a feeling, but Iris felt like she should say Ashe's real name instead of her alias when on missions. For some reason she knew Lojos would know if she had lied, and her mind must have been probed by the Carpathians when she was injured. The Carpathians were appeared very interested in the formality of her words and the hint towards ceremony.

"Why did you exclude Nicolas De La Cruz? Will your teammate, Ashelia, apologize once she is awake?" Mikhail asked.

"Um, well no. I didn't think it was necessary considering…" She trailed off but at the blank faces she cursed.

"Considering?" Mikhail prompted her and looking at the others in the room she felt compelled to answer.

"Considering he was going to kill himself." She stated calmly watching the others react. They were shocked and suspicious. "You are already aware of my psychic abilities and I can safely safe that I am an expert of the mind. Before my attention was completely focused on fighting the warriors that attacked me, I was able to read the he was going to kill himself. I first thought he was going to let Ashe kill him, but now I'm not sure. But he definitely has a plan and is motivated, it made the impression that much more solid. I can't explain it but I just know. My teammates and I, we are always in each other's minds. When he fought he wasn't reckless or anything, but Ashelia knew just the same. So both of us couldn't have imagined it."

Gazes locked and it was clear that the men were talking to each other. She wanted to know what they were saying, because it seemed important, but visiting her friends, was more of a priority. But there was this feeling that made her want to leave.

"May I see my teammates? I want to make sure they are alright. I could probably assist your healers in their recovery." Her tone was polite but filled with desperation. She needed to see them, to make sure they weren't lying. Yes, she could feel them, but it wasn't enough. Iris was spared a quick glance and a nod before Lojos picked her up, despite her wish to walk. With the Jaegar brothers acting as her escort she left the room and the others still inside it. Softly, she could detect voices but could not decipher any words and instead focused her mind on memorizing her surroundings.

Back in the room Mikahil and the others discussed this new information. Nicolas De La Cruz had come to see the Prince to speak of an important matter but had not yet had the opportunity to do so. If he really was planning to greet the dawn he had to be closer to turning than the others thought.

"It would make sense that he would greet the dawn here after he talks to you." Gregori nodded as he spoke.

"Yes, even Zacarias would be unable to stop him from this distance." Mikhail admitted grimly. He sighed, overcome with sadness at the thought of losing another one of his hunters. Gently, he reached out to Raven's mind needing comfort. Without sparing a glance at the others he took a breath and made a decision. Reaching out among the common path used by all Carpathians he carefully passed on a message meant for Zacarias De La Cruz. Dominic Dragonseeker watched his Prince with metallic green eyes and knew that the eldest, most formidable De La Cruz brother would journey to the Carpathian Mountain range once he was alerted to his brother's condition.

Manolito was still healing in the earth, deep in the Amazon rainforest after saving Jaques' lifemate. Another brother, Riordan was taking care of his lifemate's family and Rafael would not leave his lifemate because she would not leave her younger siblings or bring them out of the safety of the De La Cruz property. Out of the five brothers only Zacarias was free.

Those in the room with the Prince had heard the message and choose not to comment on how much Mikhail had left out. While the Prince spoke the truth they knew it would be interpreted differently. He had purposely intended for his message to be misconstrued which would spurn Zacarias into action once he learned of the threat to his brother's life. The De La Cruz brothers must have felt Nicolas' spirit fading a few times before Gregori was able to stabilize him and the eldest brother could already be on his way here. Mikhail refused to mention that Nicolas intended to greet the dawn but Zacarias would be aware of it soon nonetheless.

* * *

_(Scene Change)_

It was with blinding pain she awoke. Without moving and withholding any sounds of suffering she sensed her surroundings. Quickly, she absorbed facts and learned that she was in a room, alone, with her teammates nearby. Her focus turned inward ash she assessed her condition. The bone weary exhaustion accompanied with almost complete energy depletion overrode all of her other injuries. Throat dry, and inflamed, mixed with a migraine headache were other symptoms of energy exhaustion. In the back of her mind, the earth sang in a familiar soothing tone and she let herself succumb to darkness once again.

The next two times she was still alone but the pulsing of energy signatures nearby alerted her to being in the hands of her enemies. Using what little strength she had, she connected to her teammates to check on their status. They were alive and with relief filling her she passed into unconsciousness again.

The next time she awoke she could barely see the final rays of the sun before the night became lord of the skies. Extending her senses was easy and her body thrummed with all of the energy of the day clinging to her skin. Whether it was on accident or purpose she didn't know, but she did know that she had been in direct sunlight for over eight hours for several days. The scent of blood, and burnt flesh was absent, but that could have been because of the open window. There were barriers on the windows and even the doors and that drew her concern. Tia, Iris, and Jaeden were somewhere within this building.

Nighttime could be a problem if they had been captured by vampires. Deciding to move quickly she test her body, flexing her muscles before purposely striding to the door. She didn't touch it but she studied it closely. Not wanting to waste any needed energy to take it down, she moved towards her right while further examining her previously shattered wrist. It was healed but not strong enough to use effectively. Clenching her stiff fingers together in fist she raised her other hand and with sheer brute punched a hole through the wall that kept her hostage. Superficial cuts opened up on her arm but they didn't even register. The sound of destruction was music to her ears and she found herself in the hallway a half a moment later. Jaeden's signature was closest to hers and since she remembered his injuries she headed to him. Another section of a wall was torn apart before Tia and Iris's voice flooded their common mental pathway.

The next few hours were a blur to Ashe and Jaeden as they were updated on the situation. They were not hostages of vampires or their puppets. Nor were they rescued by their allies. Instead, they learned that the Carpathian race still existed and that their lives were saved because of their interference. Jaeden accepted the news fast and it was due to his amiable personality that there wasn't any tension between the two groups. Iris had been the first to awake, followed by Tia and though they had questioned their saviors at length they too accepted the truth. It wasn't until a Carpathian hunter, Lojos, offered to let Ashe examine him, that the whole group realized the implications of the situations.

* * *

Flight of Fear

Part III

* * *

A shriek of laughter filled the air and it was joined by deep laughter. Jaeden's chocolate colored eyes were filled with mischief as he retreated from his friend's side. Everyone else was watching the tight expression on Tia's face as she slowly raised her arm to wipe away the remains of the wet kiss on her cheek. Before she could comment on the similarities between his human and canine form, Tomas' appeared and the room grew silent. All eyes turned to Ashe as she realized what his presence meant.

The Jaegar brothers had bridged the connection to the Carpathian people. The three brothers not only housed the team, but acted as diplomats and escorts for the Kylierions.

The dynamics between the two groups was odd at best. The first meeting between the Kylierions and Carpathians had not gone well. Ashe had fatally wounded one of the hunters and if it wasn't for the entire community's support he would not have been brought back. The hunters had injured the elementals as well but many of the Carpathian males were not sure how to act around the group. The Carpathians were an old race and it took time for them to adjust to any major changes. The members of KATT squad 15 were healing by leaps and bounds as days passed and as misunderstandings became clear, the relations between the two races steadily improved.

Tia represented their group and the Empire, but Ashe often acted as the diplomat and exchanged medical knowledge to strengthen their communications. Despite all of this the Jaegar brothers' centered all of their attention on Iris. There had been some arguments between the brothers and Jaeden, Iris's guardian, but it had all been resolved. The brothers also noticed how Iris practically worshipped their healer and seem to have adopted Ashe as a younger sister of sorts. They were never rude to Tia or let harm come to her but since the taciturn fighter preferred her own team's company they usually left her alone out of respect.

The Kylierions exchanged quick hugs before Ashe grabbed the still injured Jaeden and turned them into air particles before following Tomas out into the night. Teal eyes hardened and silently Tia fumed wanting to be there when Ashe spoke to the head of the De La Cruz family. Looking for a distraction, she glanced towards Iris and frowned at the closeness between her friend and the hunter Lojos. Iris looked upset but was getting comfort from the hunter.

Over the course of the past few weeks, the lone Larkspur observed a growing intimacy between the two in front of her. They did not speak to each other much, or rather Iris spoke and Lojos listened, but they didn't have any dates or spend much time together. Yet, still there was an air around them that suggested that they were close. There was no evidence to suggest such a connection existed and yet Tia felt it as well. It was like deep down, Iris and Lojos knew they belonged with each other.

The couple was so engrossed with each other they probably weren't aware of Tia leaving the room to find a quiet place and think upon this growing development and what it would mean for the team's future.

* * *

_(Scene Change)_

Nicolas was lying atop rich soil watching his eldest brother stand beside him. Many were unnerved by the presence of the eldest De La Cruz, but Nicolas knew he would never fear his brother. With two millennia of walking this earth, Zacarias was closer to turning than Nicolas was, and he was close. Yet, he did not give into despair and merely watched his brother. The tension in the air was thick and had there been time, Zacarias would have dragged the entire story out of his brother.

Silence filled the air and both of them remained unmoved, Nicolas, because he was still seriously injured, and Zacarias out of the skill of a predator. All of the De La Cruz brothers were fierce warriors, but the eldest was in a class of his own. Many would pace or fidget in an attempt to release emotion. Since much of their population was still without hope it would have been normal to see a release of energy, something to prove they lived not just existed. But not with Nicolas' brother.

Zacarias stood with his feet shoulder with apart and his arms hanging loosely at his side. Glossy black hair was tied back, in a style Nicolas usually wore. He had not moved for over a half an hour and remained a coiled spring. The power within him was immense and even reined in as much as it could be it still covered every surface in the room. The just sizzled with power. It was dark but Nicolas relished in the feel and imagined comfort as it pressed down upon him. For the past century the eldest brother was usually alone. Elusive, even to his brothers, Zacarias hunted the vampire's in South America, protecting his family as always, but now from a distance.

Even with his attention on his brother, Zacarias found his mind turning towards darker paths. The De La Cruz family had taken serious blows lately. Riordan had been captured but thankfully was rescued and bonded to his lifemate. Manolito should have passed beyond even his influence but he rested deep within their forest and would remain so for many weeks. Now, Nicolas had almost been taken from his family as well. The fact that his younger brother would not admit to wanting to greet the dawn was irrelevant. He knew his brother better than Nicolas did himself, and he knew it to be true. His brother intended to greet the dawn, here out of his reach. For a small second his was glad that he could not feel, for he was sure his very soul would feel torn.

Zacarias wanted to take his brother back with him immediately so he could heal properly but he was advised against that. An unknown being from a race that none of his kind knew of had almost taken his brother from him. In fact, had taken his brother from him, it was only because of Gregori's skill and the others persistence that Nicolas had remained tied to this plane of existence. Zacarias' soul was weary but it was obvious that his brothers, his people still needed him.

It was Nicolas' calm words and praise that caused Zacarias to pause earlier. Since his brother had recounted the fight he had felt himself become more than intrigued. As a warrior it was crucial to analyze your opponent while getting them to underestimate you. To hear that a female had so soundly beaten his brother while being seriously injured and weak from a previous fight with a master vampire was unbelievable at first.

He had found that his interest was piqued. _A female fighting?_ It was absurd, no female should fight. What kind of barbarians let a group of females run around the world to fight vampires? _And where were their men? Why weren't they taking care of their women properly? Shielding them from such a dangerous and dark life? _Once his brother had been seen and his safety assured his mind focused on the odd little female. Question after question passed through his thoughts. He wanted answers, but he wanted more than answers, and so when his brother stated that she had begun healing the damage she had inflicted he decided to remain. He was tired of hearing his brother's recollections of the battle, and the conversations he overheard from the other hunters that just had to come and meet him. He wanted to meet this unique being for himself.

Logically, he realized that this was the first thing in centuries that held his attention, and it was surprisingly, a female. He assured himself that once the warrior within learned of how she had hurt his brother, and that she was not special in anyway, that his interest would wane. Before he could analyze his thoughts further he sensed the arrival of others in the house. Only one felt familiar and his body tensed.

Black eyes, that looked soulless, were drawn to the door right before it opened up. Warily, Zacarias took in the appearance of the youngest Jaegar brother. He had known the hunter was escorting the elementals and their healer but he had never met the young hunter before. Barely a jerk of his chin, classified as a nod, but it was all he would give. After being properly assessed it looked like Zacarias ignored him, but it wasn't true. Zacarias was not arrogant the way vampires were but he was aware of his skills and confidant as a warrior. Tomas would not be a challenge to him in anyway and so he was thoroughly dismissed.

Though his expression did not change he was surprised to see a petite female with a lithe figure carrying a heavily muscled man bridle style. There was an errant nod before she glided over to a cot that she had placed on a previous healing session. Zacarias noted that the man had to be approximately 200 pounds and it was impossible for someone of her build to carry him so easily.

With intensity in his eyes he looked at her, cataloguing her features. His first thought was that she was exotically beautiful. Her skin was dark, like his, as if she spent time on the beach rather than hiding out in frozen tundra's. The unique eye and hair color was what held his attention. Not even his Prince's daughter had eyes as bright as hers, though the color was similar.

Despite the apparent strength she wielded, she was extremely gentle as she placed her companion on the cot. Like a mother, she fussed over him before placing a kiss on his forehead to finally face him. Again though, he was practically ignored and his interest in her grew. Women threw themselves upon his brothers in a pathetic attempt to gain access to their bodies, wealth, and status. But not her, she was obviously a professional and took her job seriously. It was in the way her gaze swept of her brother. It was caring but critical.

"Healer Sole." Nicolas greeted the young women respectfully. In turn, she merely snorted and then strode forward. "This is my brother Zacarias De La Cruz. He is the head of our house and ruler of our family."

Amethyst eyes widened and she drew her eyes to the tall menacing figure only a few feet in front of her. He had positioned himself in a spot next to his wounded brother where he could defend and attack if necessary. Curiously, he waited to see how she would react to his presence.

Tilting her head back, she glanced at the six foot and a half frame of the eldest De La Cruz. Like Nicolas' she found him exceedingly handsome. In fact, he had a patrician look about him. His face was all harsh angles with a strong jaw and high cheekbones. But there was an elegant arch to his brows and full lips.

In a fit of gossip and young adult antics, Iris loudly exclaimed one night the she thought Lojos to be the most handsome man she had ever seen. All Carpathians had an otherworldly appeal to them. But looking at her patient's brother she realized that he had to be the most beautiful man she had ever seen. His look was one of aristocracy but there was ruggedness that could not be ignored. It took her a moment to remember to breathe and she tried not to flinch at his piercing eyes. Since she walked in the room she wasn't sure if he had blinked and it definitely unnerved her. He watched her like he was predator ready to tear her to pieces. Considering she almost punched a hole through his treasured sibling, she believed the action to be possibility.

Jaeden having felt the shift in his princess' entered her mind, sending warmth. With that and remembering that Nicolas wouldn't let his brother hurt her she put on a polite small, intent on greeting him properly.

"Good evening sir. On behalf of the Kylierion Empire I extend my deepest and sincerest apologizes to your house. I offer my services as a healer to your family in order to pay for some of the damage that I have caused to your family." She inclined her head regally and began to approach Nicolas to finish healing him. Zacarias did not move, nor did he respond. The Carpathians were all polite to the point of it bothering the Kylierions and to not have him acknowledge her or her statement was unusual. Frowning slightly, she glanced up only to get caught in deep gaze.

*End*

* * *

This was the second scene I decided to submit for the _5 Ways Challenge_. Once again, I would like to thank all of my readers! A special thanks to my reviewers as well. It is because of you that I continue to write and have the courage to post my work.

Thank you for sticking with me, and I hope you love my alterations to Feehan's world as much as I do my dear readers!

Your comments fuel my passion for writting, so please leave me a review with your thoughts, comments, and advice!

**~Ageless Light**

****Notes****

1. I killed Sterrling's team! Oh no! But I hoped you liked the bit about their culutre and belief systems.

2. When Iris apologized it was formal. But Ashe could not be as formal, since her house is The House. It was not the entire Empire that wronged them, just Ashe. Technically, Ashe didn't do wrong, but she is a healer and it is hard for her to see others in pay, especially when she caused it. It was a sign of friendship to offer to heal Nicolas.

3. Because of his family's troubles, and that Nicolas also had not found his lifemate. Zac is tired but not desperate to end his life. So you could see the difference in him as opposed to Dark Moments.

4. Nicolas would have only been days away of meeting Lara had I not ended it here.

****Carpathian Translations****

Sívamet- my heart

hän ku vie elidet- thief of life. Something you would call a vampire.


	3. OneShot: Distractions

**Title: **Dark Tries

**Author: **Ageless Light

**Beta-ed by: **Unofficially by the second half of Agesless Light. But if someone would like to be my beta please PM me!

**Main Characters/Pairing: **Zacarias De La Cruz and Ashelia Sole, Amelyn Stormcloud and Dominic Dragonseeker, and Iris Airan and Lojos Jaegar.

**Genre:** Romance/Fantasy/Paranormal

**Summary:** It was fated. Ashelia and Zacarias were meant to be together. They could have meant randomly, at almost any time since her birth or in any situation. These are just five different but alternative ways they could have met.

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for teens and older)

**Category: **Writers Challenge, and a collection of five separate one-shots.

**Specifics of the Writers Challenge:** Named _The Five Ways Challenge. _A challenge posed to an author where they are to publish 5 individual one-shots each depicting an alternative way characters can meet. It can be from any fandom and does not have to be relationship centered. Altering of time-lines is encouraged. This challenge is from a Live Journal community focused on SGA (which the second writer from Ageless light was originally challenged) before it was brought to me.

**Author Notes: **This fic is based upon Feehan's world combined with my own of the Kylierion Empire. Though you do not have to, I would suggest reading **Dark Moments,** first in order to get a better understanding of the characters.

**Spoilers: **AU. Current up to the beginning of _Dark Peril._

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Dark Series Universe or any of Christine Feehan's characters. I do own the OC's though. I went to babynames . com for my character names though. The **original** concept of the Ways came from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. I however, have altered their purpose, make-up, and description to fit my fic. They are very different since I haven't even read the story, but if you like epic fantasy books; I encourage you to check them out.

**Status:** Continuous (Incomplete)

**Created on: **August 11, 2011

**Word Count: **3,398(**Total-25,898)**

"Talk" – regular talking

_Talk-_ Inner thoughts/ Flashbacks

"_Talk"_- Speaking telepathically

* * *

Distractions

The insects surrounding him almost seemed to offer comfort, or at the very least companionship, but he paid them no mind. The screeching of bats that hovered around was equally ignored. Humidity ruled the air and it was thick tinged with smoke as he breathed it into his lungs. Dark clouds eclipsed the moon and the stars, throwing the night into pitch black, except for somewhere far to his right.

_There_.

Even from where his resting place was hundreds of miles away, he could feel the power overwhelming his senses, and the night was alight with flame and smoke. Sporadic flashes of light illuminated the forest and it was like a beacon calling him, drawing him to his destination.

Dancing tendrils of varying kinds of energy waved seductively in the air reaching out as if to nudge him along his path, but Zacarias De La Cruz felt none of that that. He only felt the monster inside him rise up and bang aggressively on the cage he constructed deep within his mind. The chains were weakening and already flames stirred within his eyes a reflection of what was happening inside to his very soul. For over two thousand years he walked the earth and the majority of his time was spent hunting the undead. He was a hunter, the most powerful, and he was tasked with destroying those who abandoned honor and sought to commit heinous crimes against his people and innocents.

_Vampire._

The undead was his enemy. Had he the ability to feel fear he would have, for he was close to turning into what he once hunted. He had been close for years. That was why he slept for months at a time, only rising to fight the armies of their enemies when it seemed the Carpathians were in dire need of his help. Honor could no longer hold his inner beast at bay, and the precious memories of raising and protecting his siblings barely stirred him into action. He knew the fight that was taking place at his family's residence and it was the thought of simply destroying those he once called friends-_brothers_ even that he turned his attention to what had once been home but had lost all meaning to him as centuries passed.

* * *

_(Scene Change)_

Today the sun was strong. Naturally tanned skinned darkened from sun-kissed bronze and gave her almost a Mediterranean look, and she reveled in the heat on her skin. Powerful energy the likes of which could not be found naturally on their planet was absorbed through the sun rays and into her body. Already it felt easier to breathe and hopefully by the end of the day her fractured ribs would be completely healed and she could be deployed outside of the wire again.

As a soldier for the Kylierion Advanced Tactical Team she rarely was able to function on a regular schedule. She had learned to grab a few hours of sleep whenever she could but recently, her mind was too restless. It had been every since she arrived to South America. Her senses were on overdrive as if something was there, but it was just out of her reach. Jumpy and exhausted she was second guessing everything. Soldiers never second guessed their actions it would only get people killed. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was there, that she was waiting for something.

Ashelia sighed and tried to fall into a light sleep because for the past 42 hours she had been up straight. Soldier pills and energy transfers were becoming almost a daily need for all of the Elementals in South America. _No wonder the Carpathian's needed help in this backwater place,_ she voiced silently. The whole extended squad had been dispatched to provide assistance in recreating proper defenses around the only Carpathian stronghold on the continent. Everyone filled several roles to ensure their survival.

An Airan defense system was put into place with Iris in charge of her design. A scanning energy barrier monitored everyone's signatures as they entered the safe zone. This way no one could be here under the influence of the enemy. The oil of the vampire's taint would easily be detected no matter how deep into the brain it hid. Their enemies learned quickly that they could infiltrate and devised other means to fight the allies. Hordes of the undead rose only to mindlessly attack the barriers, draining them, only for them to be re-strengthened constantly.

Over Five years ago the Empire had been introduced to the Carpathians through their friend and ally Koray, the alpha of the largest faction of Lycan packs. Apparently, they had been contacted by an orphaned Lycan female that rediscovered her heritage. While the Great Alliance was displeased with the reappearance of one of the ancient races compromises were made.

The Malinov brothers were serious threats and had control of most of South America. The majority of the jaguar race did their bidding and the mages were allied with them as well. The monsters were obsessed with destroying the De La Cruz brothers. It appeared that Xavier and the Malinov's could not move forward in their plans until the De La Cruz brothers perished.

Oddly enough, according to Carpathian culture the De La Cruz family was not central to their society. They were neither the ruling family nor its primary line of defenders, but once the Kylierion's saw the brothers fight they knew exactly what their enemies feared them. The De La Cruz brothers were all that stood in the way of the Malinov brothers from completing their plans.

For a group of immortals five years is not a long time, but when the threat of war and extinction of one's species much can happen in a small amount of time. The De La Cruz stronghold had become the largest community of Carpathians outside of their homeland that they could remember.

For a few years hunters had been rotated through rounds to assist in defending the Carpathian stronghold and use it as a base to attack their enemies spread out among the forests. Kylierions, Jaguars, Lycans and Carpathians were together in harmony to bring down a mutual threat and some had became permanent residents of the De la Cruz properties developing a peculiar all encompassing culture.

Extended squad 15 had met only ten Carpathians since their arrival to South America, but Ashe knew that number was easily doubled and she was eager to meet the only loyal Malinov that she had heard so much about.

Since this was the first major war since the Turkish invasion many of the younger Carpathians were eager to prove themselves. Whenever a mixed group traveled through the Ways to the Prince Dubrinsky they were always corned about news from the frontlines.

Hardened veterans of several species scoffed at their antics and prayed they wouldn't have to work with them. It had been a hard and painful adjustment for the Carpathians to accept that anyone capable of doing their job simply had it in the Kylierion culture. Age, gender, and position in society were all ignored. The same applied to the Lycan packs and the refugees belonging to the jaguar race. The first year had more than a few skirmished and harsh words within the safe zone. Many of the females had to continuously prove their right to be there and even now most of the male hunters tried to protect the women in battle, but war soon changed everyone.

As the sun sank lower into the sky Ashe tried unsuccessfully to shut her mind from her "work thoughts." It was impossible to banish the noise from the beings below. Regardless of the suns position the De La Cruz stronghold was filled with representatives from every race completing assignments. Just as the sun dipped into the horizon Iris dropped out of the sky like a little midday shower and she resigned herself to having to get up and prepare for the next wave of attacks.

Sparkling gem like eyes saw a tattoo of sea shells before she focused in on the sky blue eyes of her best friend. Iris' signature fidgeting signified something exciting had happened and she could not physically contain it much longer. Ashe only hoped it wasn't about her love life. She was happy for her friend, _really she was_, but ever since she had met Lojos while on base she barely spoke of anything but how Lojos could replace the sun.

"Guess what I just heard." There was no time to even respond as the tall blonde Airan quickly launched into her tale. Her lithe body paced aggressively on the roof that Ashe had attempted to hide out on. "The day walking De La Cruz, you know the one married to wolf-girl? Well apparently, the eldest De La Cruz brother will be called to join the fight tonight. Since Ruslan has been spotted nearby and will most likely lead the enemy attack, he has been assigned to take him out. Well not assigned, obviously, since he is the authority on this continent, but he has decided to grace us with his present and deign to get involved. Can you believe it? I mean they say he is so close to turning that he has only been awakened and pulled out of the earth a dozen or so times in the past five years. This is the first time he has been awaked in three months and it will be the first time he will come here to the main house in years"

Ashe could see why Iris didn't bother with just reaching out across their telepathic bond. _This certainly is news._ Immediately, she started turning over the implications of this in her mind. Ever since KATT squad 15 was deployed to South America they heard rumors of another brother. They knew he lived but he was elusive and the hunters talked of him with caution. If he turned vampire he would be worse than Ruslan Malinov and it would be near impossible to take him down without several squads attacking him and some cunning strategies.

Unease filled her and her stomach turned. She had met Prince Dubrinsky and as the vessel for his people, he was central to their survival. But it was Zacarias De la Cruz that caused their enemies to shudder, not the Prince. The Eldest De La Cruz was an exceptional hunter, and in a league of his own. Not even his brothers only years behind him could match him during a fight. He was the strongest, the most powerful, and _the most dangerous, _her mind whispered_. _Whether he made an appearance or relayed orders through his brothers, it was still Zacarias that commanded the entire contingent of soldiers on this continent. Ashe was pulled out her thoughts as Iris voiced reached her again. Belatedly, she realized that her friend had kept talking but the medic caught only the tail end of it.

"-And none of those associated with the Empire have seen him yet. I guess he was there when we pulled Dominic out but no one really got close enough to see or talk to him. I guess we shall get to see Mystery Man tonight at the briefing." The emphasis on nickname was clear.

"Hey what's wrong?" With a sigh and a grace Iris lowered herself to the spot on the roof next to Ashe.

"I'm not sure." That was the truth. A quick glance at her friend saw Irish audibly snap her jaw shut. Obviously it hurt her to not pry when she desperately wanted to.

A small whirlwind of dust swept around them and slid into Tia's physical form.

"We must gather the others and head towards the briefing room, the Carpathians are assembly now. The eldest De La Cruz is on his way and we will need to discuss which support style fighters will be assigned on tonight's battle." With a cold look Tia quieted Iris before she could speak. The shield master merely huffed at being locked out twice before dramatically getting to her feet and sifting back into her other form.

* * *

_(Scene Change)_

Carpathians lose their ability to feel emotions and see in color as their souls become stained with their brutal lifestyle. Zacarias had no feelings; he did not believe that they were buried deep within him and he was just unable to access them. If they were then there would be hope of them being revived one day. Instead, Zacarias firmly believed that he had lost all of his emotions, they had bled out through his wounds over the centuries leaving him to walk through a continuous stretch of desolate lands.

The lone hunter had no wish to return home. There was no need to see his brothers or meet their lifemates. He monitored them from a far and knew they were safe. Not just safe, but happy. Honor had never been as important as his family and they had moved on, and there was no longer a place for him. In reality there never had been a place for him, he just refused to let his brothers to fight on their own.

Even if he managed to live another two thousand years, without succumbing to the insidious whisperings of his mind, he would never be able to pay for all of his sins. His soul could never be cleansed and it was a fact that he resigned himself to over millennia ago. However, he always chose to be the buffer between his brothers and the undead. Because at the end of his gray existence he wanted to know that he had done one thing right. In the next life he could continue to atone, but he wanted to leave this world knowing that he had done one thing right.

The Carpathian people had adapted and changed so much within the last century that it was almost unbelievable. Hope ruled his people now, but he knew there would be no redemption for him.

Until now he had avoided returning home regardless of the circumstance. It was wrong to stand with his brothers and his family. He tainted them. There was such a disconnect between them and it could only grow. And it did. Despite his siblings urgings to return he avoided them. There had been no other choice but still he faced the consequence of his actions. For years he lived alone, with just his thoughts, and the beast merely grew.

Once dear friends and brothers; the Malinov's had become his bane, just as he became theirs. Without him it would be near impossible to bring down Ruslan and the others. The Prince and his family would be targeted first and then the rest of the Carpathians' would be killed. No one was capable of stopping them, not when they were working with the mage. Thankfully he did not feel the weight on his shoulders, for it would have fed the monster within.

Zacarias De La Cruz wanted nothing more than to rest. He was tired and hungry, unable to properly feed. As the most powerful Carpathian alive nothing could stand in his way if he wanted it. And Zacarias wanted to rest. He would offer his black and shriveled soul as payment along with Ruslan Malinov's as he took him down with him.

To do that he first had to properly plan tonight. His presence at his brother's would be quick he couldn't afford any distraction or risk contaminating others. With that thought he allowed himself to drop down out of the sky and changed his form in midflight. Not even a second past before he was striding through the forest floor and entering his family's property.

Not even a yard later he found himself surrounded. There were several races in a loose circle around him including four Carpathian hunters. With black and red eyes he took in every detail around him. In front of him was a Carpathian hunter who had been one of his oldest friends, Dominic Dragonseeker. He had heard of his friend finding a lifemate. For her not to be behind him signaled that the scarred hunter did not trust Zacarias. With a baring of teeth Zacarias he turned his attention to the others that dared to threaten him. The buzzing in his mind meant his brother's were trying to contact him, since they were not near him. The connection was closed and ignored as two females came up flanking Dominic.

Dominic greeted him in their native tongue but he refused to reply, instead his attention was focused on the small white-haired female as she step forward. Dominic's large hand shot out and roughly grabbed her, spinning her behind him and out of Zacarias' line of sight. Before her hair even settled he roared a challenge at Dominic. Everyone took a step back as the ground quaked beneath their feet, rolling at his command.

"The alarm registered a threat and I just need to scan you to see if you are infected before you go any further." A female not of Carpathian origin tried to speak but stopped as his muscles coiled, ready to spring.

"Peace, please. We mean you now harm. Your brothers are looking forward to your return." Everything paused. The energy did not die down but everything in the forest went silent as the young female tried to maneuver herself around Dominic's large frame.

He had no idea what she had actually said, just that she had spoken and her voice washed over him, calming him. Her voice was high, and distinctly feminine with what he knew to be an American accent. Chains slacked and the beast within grew still. She had to speak again, his mind growled.

"Release her and let her step forward. I will only say it once before I move you from my path." The beings around him shifted but he ignored him. The shifting of recognizable energy signaled that two of his brothers were here. The forms of Manolito and Nicholas appeared between him and the female hiding behind Dominic. He tensed and so did they. The flames grew in his eyes and he heard Nicholas gasp, but he didn't move his eyes from Dominic's hand as it slowly released her. Before his brother's could greet him another spoke.

"Ashe!" The other female spoke with steel in her voice. He did not like her tone and leaned forward aggressively.

"No it's okay." The other girl looked like she would protest, but she was waved into silence. Dainty bare feet took a slow and cautious step forward. With defiance she raised her chin and looked him in the eye. She was not afraid of him and she had to be the first one in centuries to not be afraid of him.

"I'd be wary if I was surrounded while in my own home as well." With this she paused and brought her arms up in a nonthreatening gesture. He felt captivated by the turn of her wrist. "There's obviously been a mistake and I'm sure Iris will recalibrate the sensors as soon as possible."

Every few words she inched herself forward. He drank her presence in and felt his teeth grow sharp. Now she was even with his brother's merely a dozen feet from him and suddenly he noticed the bright red bandaged peeking out from underneath her top. His heart stopped and he forgot how to simply breathe. The red on her shirt bled out and everything it touched was transformed into a startling vivid picture. The forest, his home, was brought to life. Eyes that glittered violet purple, a shade he never knew existed, stared back at him silently begging him to remain calm.

His body almost shook under the onslaught of sensory overload, and had he been weaker, less disciplined he would have. Outwardly though, it appeared as if he had been turned to stone. His eyes never blinked nor did he flinch at the tumultuous position he was now in. His brain refused start up again and he had forgotten where he was and why he was there. Instead he focused on the disbelief; he believed it was that filled him. The beast that had been whispering to him constantly for centuries began to shout something it had never shouted before.

_Claim._

**End**

* * *

Here is the newest one-shot to the 5 Ways Challenge. _**A special thanks to all of my readers and to those that reviewed, favorited, or alerted me! **_I Plan on finishing this before his book comes out in a little over 20 days!

Your comments fuel my passion for writting, so please leave me a review with your thoughts, comments, and advice!

**~Ageless Light**


	4. OneShot: Intruders

**Title: **Dark Tries

**Author: **Ageless Light

**Beta-ed by: **Unofficially by the second half of Agesless Light. But if someone would like to be my beta please PM me!

**Main Characters/Pairing: **Zacarias De La Cruz and Ashelia Sole, Amelyn Stormcloud and Dominic Dragonseeker, and Iris Airan and Lojos Jaegar.

**Genre:** Romance/Fantasy/Paranormal

**Summary:** It was fated. Ashelia and Zacarias were meant to be together. They could have meant randomly, at almost any time since her birth or in any situation. These are just five different but alternative ways they could have met.

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for teens and older)

**Category: **Writers Challenge, and a collection of five separate one-shots.

**Specifics of the Writers Challenge:** Named _The Five Ways Challenge. _A challenge posed to an author where they are to publish 5 individual one-shots each depicting an alternative way characters can meet. It can be from any fandom and does not have to be relationship centered. Altering of time-lines is encouraged. This challenge is from a Live Journal community focused on SGA (which the second writer from Ageless light was originally challenged) before it was brought to me.

**Author Notes: **This fic is based upon Feehan's world combined with my own of the Kylierion Empire. Though you do not have to, I would suggest reading **Dark Moments,** first in order to get a better understanding of the characters.

**Spoilers: **AU. Current, through _Dark Peril._

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Dark Series Universe or any of Christine Feehan's characters. I do own the OC's though. I went to babynames . com for my character names though. The **original** concept of the Ways came from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. I however, have altered their purpose, make-up, and description to fit my fic. They are very different since I haven't even read the story, but if you like epic fantasy books; I encourage you to check them out.

**Status:** Continuous (Incomplete)

**Created on: **August 25, 2011

**Word Count: **1,896 (**Total-27,794)**

"Talk" – regular talking

_Talk-_ Inner thoughts/ Flashbacks

"_Talk"_- Speaking telepathically

* * *

_(Asia, 137 miles northwest of Way Entrance L3A)_

Intruders

She held her breath, waiting. There were no obvious signs or any change in her surroundings but something was not right. Something was _off._ Pushing her senses to the limit she scanned the caverns around her. Her breath caught in her throat and everything within her paused. Muscles coiled, waiting to spring and energy spread throughout her entire system. The elements were quiet, serene even; Ebbing and flowing to their own inner rhythm. There was no disturbance but instinct told her otherwise.

Not wanting to take any chances she sifted into her other form and retreated as tiny air particles that covered a section of the subterranean lake collecting in a large irregular cavern. Still there was no sign of any life form or _anything_, near her.

Had she been a civilian she may have called out, asking who was there. It would have been foolish but fear can override common sense at times. In the past Iris and Jaeden would have jumped out and everyone would have a laugh at their antics and their poor attempts to ambush her. But her teammates would never do such a thing while on a mission.

KATT squad 15 had been removed from the front lines of the war against the vampires due to injuries. The Malinov brothers had been wrecking havoc on their forces and no one could figure out how the 'Master Five' operated_. If one could not figure out how their enemy thought, then they had no chance of defeating them,_ Caleb had once told her that when she had still been in the academy. It was still true today, and that was why the four of them had traveled to Asia in the hopes of uncovering information about the Malinov's and their past.

In the past two weeks they had already thoroughly searched one place belonging to the Malinov brothers. Unfortunately, it was not a major base and they hadn't learned anything of value.

Currently, Ashe and the others were spread out among the underground base rifling through anything they could find. Centuries seemed to have passed since anything with or without a soul prowled these chambers. Most of the original defense systems were still active and every member of the squad was on high alert. The Malinov brothers were in league with Xavier and there was no telling what sort of creatures guarded this former home.

In particle form she shivered and her molecules stretched, attempting to sense what was beyond her reach. Instantly pain filled her senses for stretching beyond her reach, and with slight tremors forced her particles to regroup. Once the cavern was cleared and held no knowledge she cautiously moved on. Her second form hugged the hollowed out walls, as she traveled the passages.

An hour or so past and suddenly the earth gave warning; the cavern walls shuddered and the water rippled. It was minor and due to their deep bonds with water and air only Iris and Ashelia noticed the disturbances. _Could it have slipped through Jaeden's senses or was it an invention of Xavier left behind to guard the caves?_

A thick, black, miasma moved just out of sensor range and since Ashelia was the closest she pursued the enemy. Together they sped through passageways. The caverns where the water rippled and shimmered, reflecting off the ceiling was absorbed as the inky cloud passed by and Ashelia was left skimming the surfaces lost for moments when robbed of her senses. Whatever the cloud was, it was so powerful it easily left wisps and strands of power behind in the air. Nothing could contain it.

When acidic vampire blood began to rain, Ashelia realized that the other being was an intruder and had purposely triggered the defense systems in the attempts to throw her team off.

Several times Ashelia was forced to adjust her route before they realized that he had each member isolated and trapped. _Whoever he was, he was smart,_ Tia commented along their bond and she was forced to agree. Being in her elemental form left her vulnerable to the vampire blood and when she returned the acid would have touched her on the cellular level, crippling her until she could heal herself properly. The others were left to face shades and Jaeden would need assistance with any traps on the surface. What was troubling was that none of them saw the enemy coming. The elements did not treat him as an enemy and that was unsettling.

The mysterious being attempted to lose her, but with her deepest connections to air and water there was nowhere he could go that she couldn't track. With only seconds apart both beings ripped through the soil and were above ground. A cloud of dark mist formed into a man that drew Ashelia up short who was still gliding along the surface of the ground.

They were in Asia to gather information and she was not about to lose this chance.

Different scenarios ran through her mind and she analyzed the best way to approach her fellow intruder. Sensing that the creature was dark but without the taint of the vampire she decided to return to her physical form as well. Face to face negotiations were always best. Once her team confirmed they were capable of defeating their own individual enemies, she turned her complete attention to the man in front of her.

He was the most attractive man she had ever seen. There was an old world look about him, from the patrician features to the long hair tied back. Everything about him was dark. His eyes, his hair, even his aura. Vampires were known for their trickery and ability to draw their prey to them with illusions and compulsions. That was not the case with this man. He was dangerous and the shuddering of the earth beneath her feet proved it. Only one of the ancient races bonded to an element could control them so freely, she knew. He was not a mage, there was no manipulation. He merely called for aid and the earth had answered. Their races must be cousins but she couldn't figure out what he was.

Unsure of what to do she paused. She studied him and he studied her right back. Whatever he was looking for it was obvious she didn't measure up. A blank almost bored look was on his face and he merely turned on his heel and stalked away. Female indignation swept through her. _How dare she be ignored like that!_ The night enveloped him and if she hadn't memorized the feel of his energy she would have lost him. He didn't seem like he was going to attack her so she recklessly pursued him.

"Hey! Wait." The long legs of the man ate up the ground carrying him away from her swiftly. She knew he heard her because he paused briefly before continuing on his way.

Widening the connection she called to the earth. _Two can play this game,_ she though smugly. With a sharp snap to her wrist and tightly closing her fingers into a fist, a slab of earth appeared only feet in front of him.

A moment was spent looking at the odd physical barrier, maybe in curiosity, she thought as she watched him. Then soulless black eyes with small red flames in them sought her gaze. He was so still and it made her anxious. He was not intimidated when her hands began to glow. In fact, he didn't even move, he stood silent, watching her. _It wasn't natural, for a being to be so still._ Living creatures moved. They twitched, with other random idiosyncrasies. Her small delicate hands turned inwards and she redirected healing energy into her system. Sweat broke out on her brow as she concentrated and with the highest control began to redirect her energy. She cleansed her organs all while watching the man in front of her. It was only when her breathing returned to normal did she attempt to speak again.

"What are you?" Her head pounded and she wasn't sure if it was from the intruder in her body or if the man was probing her mind.

"Don't you want to know who I am first?" The voice was deep, and had there been any sort of human inflection or tone she would have melted. Instead, his voice was hollow. _Much like the rest of him, _and the allusion towards her lack of manners was aggravating.

"I can always find out who you are when I'm searching through your things, which would happen after I killed you, of course. Now what species do you belong to and whom do you serve?" The night was silent, not even nature made any sound so there was no way she would have missed what he said, had he spoken.

Limbs trembled as her body burned and she forced her voice to remain steady. With a gasp she found stance wobbling as she was forced to push the vampire blood out of her system through her pores.

"You weren't welcomed on Malinov territory. I know because neither were we." She stated weakly from her position on her knees. She just needed a moment to regain her strength.

A flick of her wrist sent the taint of the vampire to the ground in front of them. Amethyst colored eyes glared defiantly up at the man in front of her. In response, he lazily called lightening down not shocked at any of her displays of power. With precision and force no trace was left except for small scorch marks. Strands of her hair stood up at the charge in the air. She had only been inches away and he had demonstrated perfect control.

There was a blur and before she could form a thought or have instinct take control of her body, she found herself standing in his arms. Like a confused pet his head was tilted to the side, studying her. Unsure of what to do or what to say she remained motionless. So far he had not harmed her. _And he could have,_ her inner voice maliciously stated. And it was true.

Up close he was even more stunning and she wondered what his skin would feel like. He was warm, and since the sun beams kept her body temperature higher than normal she felt like she was scorching when up against him. It was almost comforting, or it would have been if he had been normal. Still, she found herself leaning on him, giving her a chance to conserve energy.

His body was firm, heavily muscled, and the air around him was clear. His scent reminded her of the forest and the air right before a storm. Thick arms shackled her body and her wrists. The angle prevented her from using her super strength and a part of her wondered if he had known of her advantage. Wanting to find out, she blinked and tried to brush her mind alongside his. It was a tentative touch and but her mind felt like it had been dropped in ice, so she withdrew confused.

There were no clues on his face and without warning he tightened his grip and leaned over her. Her mind barely registered a soft growl before he bit mercilessly into her neck and she opened her mouth to scream.

*End*

* * *

Only one more one-shot left, and I'll have completed my submission to the _5 Ways Challenge_. I decided to have Ashe chasing after Zac this time! Here is a secret this was one of the first scenes that inspired me to write **Dark Moments**, but when I actually sat down the scene never fitted in. The last one-shot should be longer, because I actually started it as a story, so I hope you are all looking forward to the last one-shot and conclusion to **Dark Tries.** I would like to thank all of my readers! A special thanks to my reviewers as well. It is because of you that I continue to write and have the courage to post my you for sticking with me, and I hope you love my alterations to Feehan's world as much as I do my dear readers!

Your comments fuel my passion for writting, so please leave me a review with your thoughts, comments, and advice!

**~Ageless Light**

P.S. So 7 days **until Dark **Predator comes out! I know I am so excited for Zac's book. How is everyone else handling the suspense? I can't believe we don't know who is lifemate is! Any thoughts or wishes on who his LM is, besides yourself? lol.


	5. OneShot: Mirrored Self, another life

**Title: **Dark Tries

**Author: **Ageless Light

**Beta-ed by: **Unofficially by the second half of Agesless Light. But if someone would like to be my beta please PM me!

**Main Characters/Pairing: **Zacarias De La Cruz and Ashelia Sole, Amelyn Stormcloud and Dominic Dragonseeker, and Iris Airan and Lojos Jaegar.

**Genre:** Romance/Fantasy/Paranormal

**Summary:** It was fated. Ashelia and Zacarias were meant to be together. They could have meant randomly, at almost any time since her birth or in any situation. These are just five different but alternative ways they could have met.

**Rating: **T (Contains content suitable for teens and older)

**Category: **Writers Challenge, and a collection of five separate one-shots.

**Specifics of the Writers Challenge:** Named _The Five Ways Challenge. _A challenge posed to an author where they are to publish 5 individual one-shots each depicting an alternative way characters can meet. It can be from any fandom and does not have to be relationship centered. Altering of time-lines is encouraged. This challenge is from a Live Journal community focused on SGA (which the second writer from Ageless light was originally challenged) before it was brought to me.

**Author Notes: **This fic is based upon Feehan's world combined with my own of the Kylierion Empire. Though you do not have to, I would suggest reading **Dark Moments,** first in order to get a better understanding of the characters.

**Spoilers: **AU. Current, up to the beginning of _Dark Peril._

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Dark Series Universe or any of Christine Feehan's characters. I do own the OC's though. I went to babynames . com for my character names though. The **original** concept of the Ways came from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. I however, have altered their purpose, make-up, and description to fit my fic. They are very different since I haven't even read the story, but if you like epic fantasy books; I encourage you to check them out.

**Status:** Complete

**Created on: **September 19, 2011

**Word Count: **2,878 (**Total-27,872)**

* * *

**A/N:This is dedicated to all of my reviewers! Thanks for all your support and encouragement!**

* * *

Mirrored Self: Another Life

_(2:53 Local Time, Somewhere in Amazon Rainforest)_

She awoke slowly and sluggishly. Nothing was coherent, not even her own thoughts. A haze of confusion and blaring sounds surrounded her. It took some time for her body to register what was happening and even longer for her brain to understand the signals her body was sending. Pieces slipped into place and the strings of chaos were pulled apart. Everything was blurry and out of reach.

Something small and light was pelting at her from, and there was an odd tapping with an almost rhythmic feeling when it landed on her exposed skin. It felt cool and refreshing so she inhaled a moment before deciphering what her body was telling her.

As her mind cleared a bit, she began to recognize pain. The majority of her body was freezing cold, almost numb, yet in contrast she felt odd burning sensations in some places. The pain was overwhelming but after a second she was able to separate a mild throbbing and a piercing twist from the constant tingling throughout her form. Instinct told her to move and she tried to in the hopes of alleviating the hurt.

Like a dying ember suddenly given proper fuel and a burst of oxygen, every injuring flared up, bringing notice to dozens of other injuries. Muscles twitched and the tingling burning sensation exploded, leaving her unable to rise. White hot searing pain laced through her skull and all she could manage was a deep gasp of shock and pain. The sudden intake of breath irritated her chest and it felt tight, like something was stuck and she couldn't draw enough breath.

She didn't have time to panic or for anything else, because she suddenly felt smothered in darkness and she just couldn't fight anymore.

* * *

The darkness was everywhere and it breathed as if alive. There was a frightening tone to it and inky black shadows swirled around only to end up in places so dark it was like they were absorbed. Nothing could save her, not even herself. She was merely swallowed up by the darkness. All she knew was that she couldn't escape whatever menacing thing that was hiding or apart of the darkness. What scared her most were the brief flashes of horrible things that moved so fast they were unrecognizable. They may not have been recognizable but they felt familiar in some way. The only way to get away from it all was to get up and she reached for something familiar inside her.

At first she was not sure if it worked because everything was still so dark, but then she noticed she felt stiff and sore all over. Soft heavy clumps pushed down on her and when she took a deep breath she started to choke as her mouth became full. Her eyelids flew open and only to slip closed again to protect her eyes. Before fear could overcome her she lurched upright and pushed up. It took some effort because she felt restrained. Something hard was underneath her and had banded around her, encasing her in. It was not of immediate concern and she forced herself to move, pushing her body to continue and ignoring the signals her body relayed. A burning sensation in her chest grew and she tried to focus on her heart and not waste what little oxygen she had left.

The dirt tumbled down across her skin until she felt no resistance. At once her mouth and eyes opened starved for air. Nothing made any sense. Quickly she searched for answers. She had no recollection of falling asleep in this room. Confusion burst through her and panic started to well up.

Futilely, she tried to remember; but to her dismay and alarm, there were no answers in her mind. Everything was a total blank. _What am I doing here, _she asked herself, but she couldn't answer that simple question. Glancing around she realized the room was dark and the air was rather stale. There was absolutely no light either. _Was she underground?_ A twist of something in her gut told her that she was right and she was underground. Looking down she noticed that she was sitting on a large mound of dirt and that a small hole was next to her. Horror filled her as she realized _she_ had been buried alive.

Summoning every ounce of energy she threw herself as far away as she could and stared at the dirt as if something was going to climb up after her and drag her back down. Horrified she found she couldn't breathe. Minutes passed and she continued to crouch, waiting to spring into action but nothing happened. Slowly she regained control of her breathing. For some reason she hated being hidden from the sun and did not like being under the earth any longer than necessary. She wasn't supposed to be buried, ever. Not alive, and not dead. Something was not right. Warily, she made her way forward, back towards the hole. She needed answers and this was her best option at the present time.

She didn't want to climb back down in the hole and she had no tools to dig either. Running her hands through her hair in frustration she considered her situation. If there were clues in the ground she could accidently ruin them. She had no idea if her time was running out or what would happen if others found her not dead, so she had to move fast. Closing the distance until she was inches away from where she had previously laid she desperately wished for an easier way to remove the top level of soil. _If she could get it to just move,_ she sighed.

Something _stirred _within herand like a key fitting into a lock, clicked into place. The air grew heavy for just a moment before the dirt shifted. With a started yelp she fell back, her hands immersed in soil as she realized that no creature was coming up and that the pile moved on its own. Before she could question anything her attention was drawn to the large hole in the ground.

Since it was still rather dark it was hard for her to see but she could make out a form. She hadn't been buried alone. Frantically, she searched her mind, for a connection. Judging by the frame it was a male and since he wasn't moving he had to be dead. Did she know him, were they close?

Nothing_. She felt nothing at this revelation except for the sudden an dunexplainable sadness that crept into her heart at him being so devoid of life. While she lamented a loss of life, and suspected he was not an enemy, he was completely unrecognizable in her opinion, and she felt guilty for not knowing him. _ Steeling herself she turned away forcing herself to focus on escaping her tomb.

She had no idea how to judge time, but a lot must have passed before she made it out into another room. She contemplated how she was going to open the trap door in the ceiling when pins and needles filled her body and if she had been able to, she would have screamed at the sensation of her body being pulled into every direction. Seconds passed and then she was suddenly shuddering collapsed on a soft, warm carpeted floor. Whirling around she expected someone to scream and come running but she was alone. After catching her breath she kneeled down and following her instincts she flipped up a corner of the large rug under the bed. Just as she expected; that was the trap door she had just been under.

Knowing she couldn't stand in the middle of the room dumbly, she began to plan. Escaping and finding answers were at the forefront of her mind. She wasn't sure which one should be her priority and just decided to move. When she first woke up she had no answers and while her important questions still went unaddressed she was able to learn a lot in this room.

Like her room, as she called it, this room was bathed in darkness. But this room was fully furnished and had beautiful windows covered by sun blocking drapes. It was large, and looked to be a master bedroom style suite. Playing with the drapes she learned she was on a farm surrounded by a tropical forest. That helped narrow down her location from _anywhere_ to actually _helpful_. Next she found the bathroom. While she hated being covered in grime and she left a mess whether she moved or not, she didn't want to chance someone hearing the water running.

Having forgone a cleaning she instead had stared at herself briefly in the mirror before turning away, completely unnerved. It was like looking at a stranger. An internal warning shook her up and she forced herself to keep moving.

Quickly, but efficiently she traveled through the large house. Every room was looked in. The house was empty but that didn't stop her from checking all of the doors, and memorizing floor plans. Before she was halfway through the second floor she had already planned what room she would use to hide in, where she could defend herself, and what rooms would simply trap her. She counted balconies and looked under every rug and in every closet. It was odd how her mind addressed what she saw. Everything was categorized and the smallest detail did not escape her notice. Interestingly, enough, the only secret room that she could find was the one she had been in.

The ground level floor was just as large and she noticed that the house was decorated expensively with blending colors and simple but elegant furniture. Beautiful paintings adorned the walls. Vases, sculptures and fresh flowers graced almost every flat surface. The floors were mostly wood but with soft rugs here and there.

As she walked through the house she noticed she moved silently and fluidly, almost like running water. There was a rhythm that she kept as she moved about. It was disconcerting because nothing seemed familiar. _Was it her home?_ She wondered hoping for something, anything to be recognizable. The house was beautiful, something that many would dream about living in, but it felt cold, dead. There were no family pictures on the walls, no random scraps of paper lying around. None of the upstairs bedrooms had clothes in any of the closets and everything was perfectly in place. There were no marks on the floors, no scratches on the furniture. Any room that had a window was darkened by long, thick curtains. The only clue she was able to find was in the kitchen. People had to be near because there was food in the fridge and in the cabinets.

Her mind jumped and she knew exactly what to grab. She put down the candle stick she had grabbed and searched for a more formidable weapon. A large butcher knife was predictably grabbed, before she also found a meat hammer. To put her mind at ease she also grabbed a few steak knives. Everything was taken from a drawer and nothing on the counters was disturbed. She knew that if someone walked in they wouldn't notice anything out of order immediately. It was all about how much time she could gather for herself.

Food and cleaning supplies were loaded into a sack found hanging on the inside of a pantry door. Praying she wasn't making a huge mistake she headed towards the bedroom she had been buried under, after taking a small detour and grabbing some clothes from one of the other bedrooms, and took a shower. All she had was basic soap but it was better than nothing. The door was left open and she didn't close the curtain. It may have been odd but her mind did not balk at it, in fact she felt rather naked and vulnerable even just walking around, so bathing did not change anything. But she did keep her eyes on the door and listened for any sounds of life. The butcher knife was balanced on the tubs edge, always within arm's reach.

While she was attempting to finger comb her hair she stood in front of the mirror for a second time, air-drying herself. Looking at herself was mesmerizing. There was still no recognition but at least she didn't think she looked like a complete stranger. Slowly she took in every detail, memorizing her features. It was odd but her mind seemed to be drawn to each specific part of her, cataloguing them, analyzing them, injuries and all. Without dirt and sweat she was able to clearly see her features and was amazed at what she saw.

What first drew her attention were her eyes. She had _purple_ eyes. She blinked a few times and leaned forward, as if unsure. She had bright purple eyes that seemed to glow. It wasn't a memory but she knew that her eye color wasn't normal, but she liked it. And she drew strength from it. Next was another unusual feature; her hair. Carefully her fingers combed through the loose tangles of shockingly white hair and marveled at how soft the strands were. Her hair was neither long nor short, just resting at the top of her breasts. Her eyes were large with sweeping arched brows and a small nose. Her cheeks and chin were all angles and she looked elegant, like a ballerina except without the too harsh bone structure. Her height was rather small and overall, she looked delicate and exotic. She wasn't vain-or at least she didn't think she was, but she was heads turning gorgeous. That much was obvious.

Vibrant colors were splashed across her skin and she thought the tattoos on her body were so detailed and sharp that they looked alive for a moment. There were four of them in total and the tattoos were large wrapping around her wrists and ankles extending to be several inches in width and length. She had noticed the tattoo on her right wrist first. Intricately carved wings with violet tips-_the exact color of her eyes-_ wrapped around touching together on the underside of her wrist. Different phases of the moon, eight in all, were connected together like a bracelet with what appeared to be teardrops between them. Swirls of blue and grey in different shades spun on her skin like streams of water. After scrubbing her legs she had discovered the remaining two tattoos on her ankles. Dark green vines encircled her ankle only to branch off into an assortment of other pictures. Gems, maple leaves, and even a small sword seemed to bloom right off ends of the vines. The last tattoo was of a bird on fire and while it was magnificent in simplicity and without decoration showing pure power, she wondered why this one seemed plain compared to the embellishments of the others. There didn't appear to be any scars or even calluses on her hands.

With light fingers she had traced over every part of her skin that had been marked with ink. It was comforting, somehow, regardless of the fact that she seemed to be reacquainting herself with her own body. She exhaled softly, deep in thought. When she tried to recall her name she was met with a total blank. It was disconcerting to not know her own name, but since she didn't know anything, not knowing her name seemed inconsequential. Had she remembered her name it still wouldn't have answered her questions and it wouldn't told her _who_ she was. That thought helped put things in perspective, and she moved on.

Overall, she appeared to be in a good physical condition despite her injuries. She had barely any fat and every time she moved muscles shown through her slender frame. She was toned. _Maybe she was a dancer?_ It was a possibility. She didn't think she was an athlete she didn't have that type of build or the muscles needed for something like that. The way she moved while stalking through the house would suggest a dancer but maybe with something a bit more dangerous. _Martial arts training maybe?_ She could have spent forever hypothesizing about her past but she didn't want to guess. She wanted to _know._

After she showered she poured bleach all over the bathroom. Subconsciously, she moved to toss her old clothes in there as well, but for some reason she couldn't let herself do that. They hung there in her hand while she debated the pros and cons. The clothes were beyond repair, shredded and stained with dirt, blood, and sweat, but she had woken up in them and she refused to part with them. They were the only thing she had on her in this temporary state, so she wrapped them in a towel and shoved them to the bottom of the sack. Fresh bread was consumed while she refilled up the water jug she found.

After another moment just staring at the trap door and whispering a prayer to the other poor soul she felt connected to she was ready to go.

* * *

The final One-shot! This One-shot was long, but since I got complaints about the lengths in the previous ones I cut this one in half. Anyway Dark Tries is finished and I have completed the 5 Ways Challenge! Someone submitted one of my one-shots so I am waiting to hear if I became a finalist! I would like to thank all my readers and reviewers! I hope you enjoyed this alternate reality/universe for Ashe & Zac to meet!

**Many people reviewed or PMed and asked if I could turn some of my one-shots into something more. While I would open to it, which one would you guys like? ** **I might be able to expand the one-shots into two-shots or a short story!** Maybe I'll make a poll. Hmm.

Your comments fuel my passion for writting, so please leave me a review with your thoughts, comments, and advice! Also let me know if you want a little more insight or for me to expand a one-shot.

**~Ageless Light**


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